Chasing the Moon
by the-ramen-fiend
Summary: AU. Sakura leaves Konoha to pursue a career in a far away ANBU base, but now she's assigned under the command of Sasuke's smoulderingly alluring older brother Itachi, who might just have some dangerous temptations of his own... ItaSakuSasu lust triangle.
1. Daybreak

Revised this slightly on 05/09/09

**Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.**

**Warning!** This is severely AU- Itachi does gain the mangekyou sharingan but the clan isn't exterminated. He is not part of Akatsuki… He has detached himself as much as possible from his family (more or less) and is one of the most senior commanders at a main ANBU base on the outskirts of the Eastern Fire Country border (the coastline)…. Just to be clear. Lol. However, most of the events that do occur in Naruto do occur. (Sasuke has the Cursed Seal during Chuunin Exam- Daddy not happy as one can imagine. Tsunade is Hokage, Orochimaru's still on the rampage. Bless him.)

* * *

_Pretty green eyes,_

_So full of sparkle and such light._

_Let me remind,  
_

_You chose not to cry._

**Ultrabeat- Pretty Green Eyes.**

* * *

_**Chasing the Moon**_

_**Chapter One- Daybreak**_

* * *

Fresh morning light streamed through the bedroom window, staining the white linen a fiery copper. The pure sounds of early morning hummed through window shutters, caught on the cool breezes. But despite the room's brightness, a young woman of barely twenty-years slept like the dead. Utterly undisturbed, she breathed peacefully, unaware of the new dawn. Outside, birds of every colour, shape and size soared through crisp, if slightly humid air chasing a mass of swarming dragonflies.

Light splashed over her duvet, but she did not stir, and she would not stir until the early morning hours ticked by and the sleepy village awoke. The Sun moved through the morning sky, altering the sunbeams' directions until they shone like translucent gold across her youthful face, coaxing her eyes to flutter open.

_Aaaaahh…_

With a heart-felt moan and minute flicker of weary eyes, the young woman finally stirred from that deep sleep. Her pupils shunned the light, and lazy arm lolled across her eyes, shielding their sensitivity.

"Just five more minutes…" She moaned sleepily, voice slightly croaky, as if even the Sun would adhere to her meagre protests.

However, now that she was awake, the body clock was wailing like a siren.

_No…_

It would be safe to say that she was _not quite _the most enthusiastic morning-person ever known to grace Konohagakure. How some people could rise at the crack of dawn to appreciate the first-light was beyond her comprehension. She was, if anything, a fan of lazy, hung-over lie-ins.

_How could they ever be awake enough to enjoy anything? _She'd wonder in complete and utter bewilderment. Then again, this attitude was all probably due to being subjected to Hatake Kakashi's horrific tardiness. Being woken for daybreak and then watching the morning tick by as if one hour were worth a day was worse than any torture.

She lay there a little while longer, warming her skin as it came into contact with the ribbon-strands of light as they escaped past the shutters.

Soon, her senses woke and the reality of the hour began to sink in. When her mind became awake enough for rational thought, the young lady shifted under the covers. She sat up stiff and arduously, with a hand smoothing her cheek, eyes remaining resolutely closed until they were required. She twisted her legs out from under the duvet and placed her feet on the wooden floorboards, wincing as they found the creakiest floorboard in the room.

_Why do I do that every flaming morning…? _You'd have thought she'd learnt by now, but the kunoichi had always been stubbornly attached to habit.

Struggling with head-rush as she stood, the young woman stumbled about before managing to acquire the needed momentum for walking. She moved towards the en-suite bathroom, eyes still closed to avoid the searing light. She met few hazards; her feet knew where to step.

Her hand twisted around the door-handle and she stumbled through the threshold leaning on the door as it swung open. The light was more forgiving in here, so she let her eyes fluttered open, though still somewhat reluctant. She stood before the bathroom mirror, watching blurry-eyed at her reflection. She didn't need her full vision to reach a verdict.

_Well, you look like absolute shit. _

The toils of the night before had clearly taken their toll; her skin was deathly pale, almost grey. Her eyes were still blurry, but she could see the angry capillaries turning them a horrible wishy-washy scarlet. Smudges of charcoal eyeliner had spread into giant, blotchy rings around her eyes and eyelids, and made her appear remarkably similar to a hung-over panda. Flakes of mascara stuck to her cheeks and top of her eyelids, as if she'd rammed the tip of the applicator all over her face to emulate freckles. Her hair was dank, greasy and unusually dull, given one could not have been born with hair much more vibrant than bubblegum pink.

Turning away from the mirror she stripped off her pyjamas, which were composed of a white string-top and tiny matching shorts, then stepped into the tall, tiled shower. She twisted the knob controlling the water pressure and temperature, giving a surprised squeak and slight widening of her green eyes as a gush of frigid, ice-cold liquid touched her skin.

After a long, chilly moment, she realised the knob was turned the wrong way.

"_Shiiit-!" _She yelped, quickly twisting the it the other way. Her thumping heart slowed back to a contented beat as warm water washed over her shoulders, rinsing the night away. The slight odour of cigarettes disappeared from her shoulder length hair, replaced by the scent of watermelon. The sticky feeling, induced by the beer tipped down her top- an accident partly induced by her own intoxication and just one other drunken imbecile (most probably Naruto) at the pub- disappeared without a trace. She soon felt clean and fresh- ready for another day, smelling like lush wild flowers.

After the shower, she towel-dried her hair and then wrapped the towel around her body, one end stuck into the other so it stayed in place. Next, she dressed in her usual, a black skirt that reached just above the knees, red zip-up vest with leg guards and black shoes, very much the same attire she had settled with nearly six years ago.

She let her hair dry naturally for the moment, not caring about the kinks and waves forming. She was thirsty, so she decided to get a glass of water and check the mail before drying her hair properly. As she wandered from room to room, memories of the night before began slipping back, most a blur of extreme embarrassment.

_I wonder how Sasuke and Naruto are doing… _All three had got smashed, although Naruto could still stand without help, she and the acclaimed Uchiha prodigy had been propped up on each of his considerable shoulders. First, the laughing blond had dropped Sasuke off at the Uchiha Estate. Despite her lack of clear-thinking, she had been a little worried about leaving him there, as the other Uchiha who had arrived back at the mini-village did not seem particularly worried about taking the legless Sasuke home. All they seemed to do was stand there and howl with laughter. Sakura remembered announcing in an awful, drunken slurry that it was "a des-s-s-picable thing to do".

_It wasn't as if Sasuke-Kun could do anything, anyway… _She wondered if he did manage to make it home. Naruto had made sure she did, at least, in his annoyingly chivalrous way.

Upon acquiring a handful of mail and water, she sat down at the kitchen table, yawned and then proceeded to flick through the letters.

_Junk, junk, bank, junk… Where do these people find my address? Junk, ooh…_

A summoning to see Lady Hokage. She stared at the cover of the letter, knowing a mission summon was inside. She immediately felt a tingle of anticipation shoot through top half. She'd been entered into ANBU little over six weeks ago, having spent the majority of the past years engaged tirelessly in the hospital. She had only been assigned the tedious scouting missions since.

She hastily opened the letter, slipping through the envelope with her nails and read the official summoning, surprised to find it was not so much a mission, but a proposal for transfer, and it was from the Hokage herself.

_Sakura, _

_I'd like you to know there's a very recent opening for new medical officers at the Eastern ANBU base. They were attacked by Mist Nin the night before and have suffered heavy casualties at the medical building. I think this would be a brilliant opportunity for you, and that you should take a position…_

There was more, but Sakura couldn't be bothered to read on. She blinked at her luck- there were hardly any medical vacancies at the Eastern base, not for someone with her qualifications.

_They never have casualties!_ Her brow scrunched in surprise and confusion. The Eastern base was renowned for its small fatality numbers, as well as its beauty and proximity to the Coast. _They are barely attacked. _

Attack? That was a strange thought. It was remotely attacked, despite being one of the largest soldier units within the Fire Country. Thoughts swam through her mind as she considered who or what would have attacked. It was not often seen, but her best guess would be this was an assault lead by the ninja of the Water Country. They were, naturally, with the base situated on the Coast, the nearest of all the other Countries. And Fire and Water were never known to mix well.

Even with this ominous thought, Haruno Sakura could not stop her wide grin from spreading.

Her answer would be a definite yes.

* * *

His light feet strode through a field of tall, dew-topped grass, following a wild route only they knew. The vast ocean laid spread before him, crashing and somersaulting against the jagged cliffs, as if it wished to devour the land whole. The thunder of morning waves mingling with cries of pearly-white gulls swooping over-head.

He breathed in the salty air, and wondered, just for a second, whether he _truly _needed to walk back, away from this blissful haven, back to the mundane humdrum his life had become. This was _his _bubble of beauty and escape.

Unfortunately, he knew the answer immediately, but that never caused the proposition to become any less attractive.

Morning, or rather, very early morning, was always the best time of day in his opinion. It was cool and crisp, and completely uninterrupted. But best of all, it was totally private, and privacy was something he craved most, even in infancy.

Privacy, as it would seem, was something he could only achieve here, where only the grass and gulls and the tumbling waves would witness his morning excursions.

Moisture clung to his trousers, tingling the smooth skin beneath. His dark eyes glittered like the sea under a midnight moon as they gazed up into the golden-orange morning, sombre with the thoughts that lay behind them. Splashes of the previous navy night could be seen casting a shadow way above the trees behind him, a small slit of darkness slicing the horizon through the tall, snow-topped mountains.

An amber Sun laid split in half across the horizon, seemingly balanced on the water as it spilt its spectacular glow like an overturned pot of golden paint. The waves shimmered like a swirling liquid mix of diamond and topaz, dazzling to any who took the time to notice.

_Dazzling to anyone who has the grace to notice._

The morning rose like a soaring phoenix above the waves, and the same fiery, eternal spectacle began once again, just as his day had begun once again.

He had been a morning-person his entire life; the deep lines on his soft cheeks clearly depicted his clear lack of sleep. It would seem logical to anyone who knew, that he would forever be there at daybreak, forever be there to see the prelude to a new battle or take the first strike against any invading enemy Ninja.

Somehow, he knew.

Every time, he knew. People would whisper and gossip. He was a legend; an oracle that could predict the future.

An ironic smile, a smile that only the morning sees, captures his features at the very thought.

"Ridiculous…" He scoffs to the pleasant wind, still grinning.

_If only, if only… _He could not foresee the future. That was a talent only a seldom few were blessed with, and, alas, he was not one of them. Although that did not mean he wished for such a gift.

The future was not something to be tampered with or revealed; the future could be a terrifying thing, and people had gone mad knowing what they would commit, knowing that they had no way to stop it… One could not change the future, no matter how hard they tried, or what they may sacrifice. All souls balanced on a life-strand, as thick as knife-edge, and there was only direction in which they could walk.

He did not like the Present. He did not like the Past. All he had now was the Future, and that was something he did not wish to hate…

_For what would be the purpose of living to see it?_

A sea gull screeched high above his head, momentarily distracting his thoughts. His face turned and eyes watched as the creature dived amongst the newly formed, translucent clouds, swirling in majestic loops and somersaults- clearly bravado. It glided around the threshold of land and sea for a minute or so, before diving headlong and out of sight into the deep, golden ocean, and didn't rise for a good half a minute.

The young man, dressed in black, with eyes the colour of midnight and long raven hair loosely pulled back in a disheveled ponytail had finally stepped out of the long grass, his legs free. He walked unhurried, holding himself with a confidence he was always unaware of to the end of a grassy promenade where the cliff jutted out in a thin, triangular shape.

When he reached the point's pinnacle, he sat down in a comfortable bed of soft grass and pretty white flowers, gazing out at the ocean beyond. He closed his eyes, drawing attention to his other senses, sighing as the sounds and smells of the ocean washed over him as if the air were as heavy as the waves below.

How could anyone not take time to notice this place? To him, it seemed a crime. The small things in life were forever being pushed away for larger, more ostentatious things- fickle and superficial things. All he wanted was this; peace and true tranquility.

After a time his eyes cracked open, enticed by the ball of brightness steadily lifting from the shoreline into a clear, azure sky. He noticed today that the Water Country was surrounded with a denser mist than normal; only the dull grey of its nefarious outline could be deciphered through the thick shroud that hid everything like a layered, hazy coverlet.

His eyebrows creased minutely as he examined the situation. Mist usually meant they were up to something suspicious, especially heavy mist. Only two nights ago, there had been a heavy attack on the ANBU base he was partially assigned to command. It had luckily ended not so poorly for the Leaf, although Mist had attacked the medical building and caused serious casualties to the medical staff… The Leaf Base had been shaken at the foundations, and he instinctively knew that Mist would not miss any opportunity. It had been, and he felt no pretensions over this situation, a shock to the system. There was usually an informant, a bribery here and there, but nothing had been heard. The Leaf were not warned.

Although it was not directly his fault, the ninja felt horrendously guilty.

_I'll have the captured Nin interrogated. _He silently decided his course-of-action, knowing far too well how adept Konoha Interrogators were. They were some the best in all the Five Countries. He'd even done his own interrogation work in the past, but had known immediately it was not for him. His greatest talents lay in the intricacies missions, both individual and team-related. The thrill of battle was, ashamedly, something he had come to live for, to thrive off; he desired the test of strength and abilities, although he could never remember a time when his own had ever been compromised. Most of the time he was simply searching for someone worthy, someone else with a reputation, but all those he'd fought had failed his expectations.

He was feared by Mist Ninja, feared by all foreign Ninja. Hell, he was even feared by the soldiers under his command.

However, since acquiring his senior-position within the ANBU base, those missions had been few and far between. Paper work and supervision was his S-Rank equivalent now. Three years of being locked in a stuffy office had made him restless, and given him an irritable reputation, making him colder and crueller than usual. The job had certainly made himmore detached. It had also sparked various other ways of burning off energy.

Not that he hadn't been interested before, as sex, he had to say, had always been plentiful at the Eastern Base, especially for someone with a body and face like his, and within his Commander status he could not find much else to occupy him. Going home back to Konohagakure was not an option, and anyway, a consistent flow of different shinobi and kunoichi were circulated, so he'd usually pick numerous kunoichi and plough through them, so to speak. It seemed cold-hearted, a pastime solely for his enjoyment, ending always with a broken heart on the other side.

It became a game, a game that gave him an infamous reputation, a reputation he was slightly uncomfortable with, but didn't feel so opposed when he heard he'd pissed his father off.

_Heartbreaker. _He'd heard the title often used, but wasn't quite sure why he was dubbed it. All his whirlwind relationships were nothing but flings, yet so many women became completely infatuated so quickly, and he'd have to break off the tryst. It was ridiculous, he made it perfectly clear that he wouldn't be tied to anyone- he wasn't even particularly nice to them- but still they'd whine and cry while he watched them with contempt. He "ate" hearts, apparently, and left emotional devastation in his wake. He couldn't count how many women he'd had, that count had been lost with so much long ago..

And truth be told, none ever made a lasting impression.

So finally, after all he had achieved from such an early age, not even the incidents and feelings he'd locked inside himself would become what he was known for.

It seemed that Uchiha Itachi would be known as nothing more than a notorious womaniser.

_A Womaniser. _

The cool air filled with a soft chuckle, for Itachi could not help but find this idea hilarious. It was true; he could never deny it. He _was_ a notorious womaniser. But to be remembered for only that… To be remembered solely for _that _was truly a discredit. He was twenty-four and his ANBU career had begun over eleven years ago… Not to mention the occurring events of when he lived in Konoha, within his family and his lineage. The memory of his prodigious talent seemed to seep away.

No, Uchiha Itachi would not be remembered for that, and he'd make sure of it. _It would be a bitter disgrace, _He decided.

But for now, as the Sun grew bolder and light engulfed the sky, Itachi knew he must leave, for duty was duty… Konoha would be sending the replacement medic-nin and he'd need to make all the appropriate arrangements.

Taking one last look at the brilliant scene before him, the Uchiha Prodigy stood up, brushed the stray grass from his trousers and made his way back to the Base.

* * *

"Yes," She said, with smiling eyes. "I'm happy to take the place, Sensei,"

"Good," Tsunade gazed up at her pupil with an approving, yet sad expression. "I think this would be a wonderful opportunity to further your career,"

_Hospital won't be quite the same without you, though._

In all her years as a medic-nin, Tsunade had never come across a pupil quite like Haruno Sakura. From the moment she'd entered into the Hokage's tutelage, Sakura worked hard and her skills grew rapidly. So rapidly, in fact, that Sakura had been working shifts, without being shadowed by a higher-ranking doctor, at the Hospital since she was thirteen. The young medic would be an asset to the Eastern Base, and not to mention the change of scenery would be a beautiful benefit.

However, there was a catch that could not be over-looked.

"But you must understand, Sakura," Tsunade said, her honey-toned eyes narrowing and voice sharpening. "As you're probably already aware, relations between the Shinobi Countries are unstable, and I fear the Eastern Base will not be as peaceful as it has been."

Sakura nodded resolutely. She understood her Sensei's growing worries. Friendly relations were rotting away- well, peaceful relations, anyway. The Water Country and Fire Country had never been on friendly terms. Not many countries had ever been on friendly terms.

_Thank goodness for Sand…_ Thankfully, the Wind Country was more than a firm ally and could always be relied on, with the young Kazekage a welcome friend to the village. A knowing smile lifted her lips as she remembered what bound the two countries so closely.

"I understand Sensei, and I promise to do my utmost no matter what the situation may be; just as you've always taught me to do so,"

Despite herself, Lady Hokage smiled warmly. She knew Sakura would never let her down.

"I know you will, and that's partly why I'm sending you," The blonde shifted in her leather seat, flashing a set of immaculate scarlet nails whilst rooting through the considerably messy desk. "Ah, here it is," Her hands closed around three sealed envelopes, tied together with a thin red ribbon. Tsunade undid the ribbon and passed the first envelope to Sakura. The other two she placed in front of her in preparation for the other medical staff she'd summoned for later. "In there are all the details needed, read them before you leave. You and the others I selected are to arrive at the gates for noon sharp. You're expected to arrive in the evening,"

Sakura gazed at the letter, then back at her former sensei. She nodded.

"Any questions?" Tsunade asked and leant back against the chair.

"Um, yes, I have a question, Sensei," Sakura said and waited for approval.

Tsunade leant forward slightly. She balanced her elbow on the desk and supported her face with her hand and gazed up at her pupil openly.

"Hm?" Her arched eyebrows lifted.

"Oh, I was just wondering who else you were considering to send to the Eastern Base,"

Tsunade sat back. "Well, ideally, I've considered Nakamura Kiyoshi and Uchiha Shizuka. I'm expecting them after you,"

Sakura nodded and applied the names to faces. After applying the names to faces, she applied the faces to situations. She was close to neither mentioned but knew them by reputation and sight.

Firstly, Nakamura Kiyoshi was a boy of sixteen, a fresh-faced Chuunin with a surprisingly adept talent for Medical Ninjutsu. He held a very nervous disposition- not a particularly desired trait in a doctor, but his knowledge in herbal remedies and thoroughness within research were Konoha Hospital-renowned. But…

_I can't imagine him taking the place. _Sakura pondered her Master's decision and was almost certain the boy wouldn't take the place. He was more highly-strung than a sheep dangling by a microscopic thread over a bubbling pit of steaming tar. Maybe he would take the position, but the signs of impending war shimmering along the Fire Country coast in the guise of milky sea mist made this seem unlikely.

_Nah, no way, Kiyoshi won't take it… Although, on the other hand Shizuka-Sempai…_

Was legendary. Every ninja within the medical sector knew Uchiha Shizuka was not a medic-nin to be reckoned with. She possessed the famed Uchiha beauty as well as the similar loyalty, pride and ambition Sakura had seen in Sasuke since they were young classmates. She was close to forty, but her tenacity never wavered, nor did her skill. Sakura had had the pleasure of meeting her on numerous occasions, as she and Tsunade were friendly acquaintances. She was also a cousin of Sasuke.

_Speaking of which… _She checked the clock hanging high above Tsunade's desk. She'd have to hurry to Team Seven's preferred eatery, seeing as this surprise meeting had made her late for breakfast already.

* * *

The Eastern Base was not a glamorous place. It was a large complex of four buildings, each reaching higher than the masses of trees that surrounded them. One was used as the "HQ", another a Hospital and the last two were used for weapon storage, cells for unwanted foreign ninja and accommodation for the ninja presently stationed. The highest floors had the best sea views, but they were in reserve for the only the highest echelons of the ANBU Officers stationed. They were ugly things; each were just a mound of concrete plonked together into a square-shaped heap, then hastily sprayed with a thin, cheap layering of whitewash. In time, the damp had savaged their exteriors, with creeping vegetation crawling up along the high walls, determined to penetrate and twist their solid branches into the space inside. Nearby was one of the many large fishing ports dotted on the Fire Country's wide coast. The port doubled as a tourist attraction, generating mountains of cash from the crystalline oceans and smooth, silky beaches. But of course, tourists weren't allowed anywhere near the base.

Itachi ran his probing eyes over the buildings, frowning slightly as they reached the pretty beds of delicate wildflowers rooted at the buildings' foundations.

How could anyone build a monstrosity like that amongst such beauty?

Inwardly, Itachi was encouraging the wisteria to spread and grow and consume; to envelope these eyesores so they'd cease to irritate his eyes every time he _had _to look at them. So that whenever he breathed in, the heavy stench of damp and heady moisture wouldn't constrict his lungs. He was bored of looking at them, and the wisteria seemed to take so long to grow.

"Sir?" A feminine voice said timidly from behind him, accompanied by an aromatic waft of strong coffee caught on the warm breeze.

The interruption stirred Itachi from his reverie. His eyes gazed up at a clear, indigo sky.

_And so the gauntlet begins. _He sighed inwardly and turned slowly, as seemingly composed and unconcerned as usual.

"I have your coffee and mail sent from Konoha, Sir," The girl who'd interrupted him, Uzuki Yuugao, held out his steaming coffee, just as she did every morning since she'd taken the place as the legendary Uchiha's secretary. Her real occupation was a coder, but at the time she thought the extra work would fill up the days, and seeing as the opening had been made available shortly after she first arrived, it seemed all well and good. However, with hindsight, she wouldn't have touched the position with a barge pole. Itachi-Taichou was a tremendously hard worker and seemed to single-handedly run the base, despite there being _another _commander, as well. She hadn't been in the job long to realise Itachi had little time for his fellow commander. The man was nothing more than an archaic shinobi, a relic of the olden days. He was hardly suitable for the job at decades past his prime.

Swallows chirped in the swaying trees as Itachi eyed her. Her face coloured and Itachi found the flush in her cheeks as amusing as ever. Nine months and the girl still found it traumatic to barely look him in the eye.

"Thank you," Itachi took the mug gently, slipping it from Yuugao's grasp. Deliberately, he let his fingers brush hers in a way that clearly made her flustered; yet the act appeared entirely accidental.

"No problem, Sir," She said, managing somehow to raise her head slightly and keep her voice collected. If it weren't for her blatant discomfort Yuugao'd be quite convincing.

Still watching her, Itachi took a long swig. She was pretty, with long deep purple hair tied in a loose ponytail and a clear complexion. Her figure was tall, slim and well-defined- the body of a warrior hardened through years of training and devotion.

"And your mail, Sir?" Yuugao demurely motioned to the sealed envelopes in her arms.

"Leave them on my desk," Itachi replied nonchalantly, and his eyes swivelled quickly from her to the surroundings. "I'll look at them later,"

Yuugao took this as her cue to leave. She bowed, turned and walked towards the central building, the HQ, and was quickly out of sight.

Itachi didn't watch her leave. Instead he observed with as apathetic an expression as usual the sleepy ninja who scurry to-and-fro across the courtyard, exchanging pleasantries with their comrades and friends, all heading for the mess hall and a hearty breakfast with a good gossip. Most inclined their heads towards the Commander as they passed, and he in turn nodded back, polite as ever.

* * *

Sakura rushed into the bustling café. Upon opening the door, a pleasant aromatic waft of fresh coffee tantalised her senses, and the desire to consume the much needed caffeine filled her as she strode towards the seats occupied by those she considered some of her dearest, closest friends.

Uzumaki Naruto, (blond, cheerful and tanned) spotted her immediately. Whilst stuffing his face with something deliciously greasy, he smiled crookedly and waved, still holding his fork. Uchiha Sasuke (tall, dark and beautiful) sat pale and sickly next to him, flashing Naruto a seething look of jealous disgust. Hatake Kakashi, as _always_, was buried in one of his most favoured porn epics, his shiny silver hair a springy mess.

"Morning, morning sorry I'm late!" Sakura said, her spirits even chirpier than usual after the events of earlier this morning. She took the empty seat next to Kakashi. The copy-nin gave her an accommodating smile.

"It's cool, your coffee's coming now," Naruto grinned. His tolerance to such substances as alcohol was always a shock. He speared a massive fried egg with his fork and spooned intact into his mouth. Sasuke glared and shook his head from side to side slightly in disbelief.

"Kakashi said Tsunade-Baa-Sama had some super important assignment for you," Naruto piped in, mouth full.

"Ah!" Sakura whipped eyes sideways to her past mentor. "Do you know then? What do you think?"

There was an ominous pause.

"Congratulations," The Copy-Nin finally replied, and as the ominous pause had indicated, his voice did not convey the enthusiasm Sakura had hoped he'd show. As per usual, Kakashi had ordered nothing to eat or drink. "It'll be an interesting new beginning for you, I'm sure…"

Sakura watched him, wide-eyed.

The "but" was on the tip of his tongue.

Naruto sat quietly, eyes switching between the two sitting opposite him, wondering what the hell was going on.

Sasuke was… barely living.

"_However…" _He stretched the moment, and a heart-racing tension appeared to engorge the air around the table they sat, until he flipped his book shut and smirked with a small laugh. "You're still too gullible,"

"Kakashi…" Sakura shook her head, Naruto grinned and huffed. "For fuck's sake!"

"Sorry, sorry… and again, well done, Sakura. You'll do well there, I'm sure," His eyes stretched with a warm smile. "It's nice, down that way,"

Sakura smiled with mock-sweetness. "Thank you Kakashi, dearest," Now, she turned to Naruto and Sasuke. The Uchiha looked up at her with blood-shot eyes.

"Care to tell us now?" He said, voice crisp and sharp with morning grumpiness.

Sakura grinned. "I'm being transferred!"

"Where?" Naruto almost choked.

"To Eastern- you all right?" Sakura poured a glass of water for her comrade, completely unaware of the strange look received from the seemingly hindered Uchiha.

Blood-shot eyes ablaze, Sasuke glared across the table at Kakashi. The silver haired man looked down, and whipped out a treasured volume of Icha Icha to hide his face in.

"I'm leaving at Noon, by the way,"

* * *

"Yuugao-San?" Itachi called from his desk.

"Sir?"

"Have the prospective medic-nin's information been wired through yet?"

"Yes, they came an hour ago, should I collect them?"

Itachi harrumphed, thinking that was surprising efficient for Konoha. "Please,"

Yuugao tapped away at the digits on her phone, and Itachi listened as she ordered the documents to be dragged up another few floors of the building. It was Noon already, and he wanted to be briefed in plenty of time, maybe even be allowed the chance to conduct his own research or ask around. Normally, Konoha wouldn't have sent the blasted files before four o'clock and he'd be none the wiser.

The door beyond his room squeaked open, and footsteps echoed outside. There was a little conversation between Yuugao and whoever was chosen to take the files upstairs. By the depth of the voice, Itachi classed them as male.

After a few minutes of flirtatious giggling from inside her office, Yuugao entered and handed Itachi the file. A silly, girlish grin stretched her lips and she made very little effort to hide it.

"Thank you, Yuugao-San," Itachi said and let her leave, grin intact.

Uchiha Itachi flipped open the three-page synopsis of his new recruits. He gazed soullessly at first person, finding it difficult to breathe. A pair of dark, dark eyes, identical to his own, stared through him as if he were as transparent as glass.

_Cousin Shizuka. _Typical. How could he not have guessed his family would use this opportunity to spy on him? Why is he so surprised? Perhaps all he's feeling is annoyance.

This did not bode well, and Itachi flipped Shizuka's profile face-down. It seemed like a joke; he of all people knew what his cousin was capable of. The Uchiha were one of the most insular of families and even rivaled the Hyuuga in the depth of their secrets. What an insult it was. Of course there were other Uchiha enlisted, but they were not as permanent as medical staff.

Itachi had very little love for the ambitions of his family, and he had no desire to be included in their squabbling clan politics anymore. The fact that he was the heir to the leadership was something he did not like to discuss or even consider.

Moving on, he whisked the second page into view. Some kid stared from his picture, eyes like a frightened rabbit in the glaring stare of a fox. A boy, young and mid-pubescent. A child as naïve as a lamb and highly inexperienced. Most probably weak. How long would he last? Itachi approximated a week at most. Due to the elitist nature of the shinobi world, Itachi saw this as a flaw in Konoha's relatively new Hokage. He cursed Tsunade for using his base for a child completing his work experience.

Itachi flicked Nakamura Kiyoshi's profile atop of Shizuka's. He was feeling thoroughly disappointed so far, and was sure the next candidate would most probably be even more frustrating.

That's why, when Itachi gazed at the flush green eyes of the next profile, he sat quietly taken aback for more than a second. He recognised this young woman, a girl with striking pink hair, a cheerful, complacent façade, and those bright green eyes… It was undeniable, he recognised her description. His surprise welled. The name only confirmed those initial suspicion.

Haruno Sakura? His brother's beautiful, trusted comrade stared before him, her gaze holding the confidence of a medic-nin whose skill was nothing less than elite. He had met her once, years and years ago, when Sasuke had gained his Leaf headband and graduated from the Academy. She had been nothing less than a giggling schoolgirl back then, no reputation or noticeable talents, quite bog-standard and nothing particularly useful. He had heard her intelligence and vigour in study was laudable, but on the field she always fell short. Itachi imagined she'd grown up in her teammates' shadows, a late-bloomer, and her confidence questionable. Looking at the young woman now, he wondered how much she had matured. From the letters he received from Sasuke, Itachi could tell she had changed much from back then, but he had not paid too much attention to what he said about Sakura at that point. The Uchiha Commander placed Sakura's profile on the desk, face-up, away from the others. He sat up, and paced across the room towards a tall filing cabinet. He performed a small series of seals, and the file clattered open, shaking slightly as he fingered through the papers. He took out a large cluster of old letters, bound by a thick elastic band. Itachi unhooked them, eyes scanning the figures and characters, looking for one name in particular.

His brother, as it stood, seemed to be rather enigmatic when writing about his comrades. Naruto featured most out of the two, usually included in some description of a recent idiocy or battle. Sasuke only mentioned Sakura briefly in most of them. He would comment on how much she'd improved that month, or how much taller he and Naruto had become against her. Once, he mentioned how pretty she'd ended up, but there was little else.

However, Itachi did notice that she was the only woman, apart from his female relatives, to be mentioned within these letters.

The thought of a relationship between Sakura and his brother flashed into Itachi's mind. It was lit with a warning, a bright scarlet light, and the elder Uchiha pondered what his little brother would be thinking. Surely Sasuke would know by now? It was past Noon, and the team would be heading east right this very minute.

He wondered how long it would take Sasuke to send him his next letter, and the thought conjured a knowing smirk, for Itachi knew there were many layers hidden beneath an Uchiha's impassive façade. The blank mask _was _simply a mask, a veil, and if anyone could predict Sasuke's true feelings it was Itachi.

Another thought, another calculation, emerged from Itachi's inherent observational talent. He had a splendid knack for predicting the acts of others, of reading their deepest thoughts. He wondered how entertaining it might be to have Sasuke under his command, as his right-hand man. The young man would always be amazingly loyal, of course. And this girl, of whom Sasuke obviously held in high acclaim, might just be the unknowing instigator of a very interesting time.

_How long will it take for you to follow her, little brother? _

* * *

A small, composed crowd congregates just outside the gates of Konohagakure, their voices sharp in the quiet afternoon. Birdsong soars loud and clear, whilst through a cluster of bright clouds, a brilliant Sun bursts, pouring a wave of light over the leafy city in a wreath of liquid copper. Sakura observed the village. It had been her home, her dwelling, the place where she always returned to for so many years. She was sad, melancholy, even, but the chances and paths that lay ahead of her now were new, refreshed, and above all overwhelmingly exciting. It would be a complete change.

The Sun warms the skin, and Sakura was thankful for that added favour. It was little past Noon, and soon she would have to journey to the Eastern Base, along with he fellow medical comrades. Nothing had changed; much to her surprise Nakamura Kiyoshi was present, though as quiet and nervous as ever. He had smiled at her sheepishly, cheeks lightly flushed.

"Sakura,"

Sakura whipped around, eyes lighting with joy as she recognised that familiar, smouldering voice.

"Sasuke-Kun?" The honorific had never been dropped. It was as if the two words had merged into one after years and years of use.

Sasuke stepped towards her quietly, gazing around their little area, obviously eager to avoid the other eyes and ears of the throng. His deep eyes were suspicious, alight with focus and past their hung-over state. After surveying the scene once more to be sure, Sasuke turned his attention back to Sakura with a vigour that appeared slightly startling.

"Stay safe," He said quickly, voice tainted by an awkward tautness Sakura was not sure she had heard before. "And beware of _certain people_…" His eyes swivelled to the ground, and Sakura understood immediately.

"What? Your brother?" Sakura whispered, moving closer to Sasuke as his eyes snapped back to hers, questioning.

"So you _do _know about Itachi?"

"Umm, yeah, who doesn't?" Sakura said. She had, of course, heard rumours about him, Itachi, but it would be interesting to hear it from the brother that rarely spoke about him.

"Is there something... _bad _about him?"

Sasuke harrumphed, clearing his throat. "He is… a, err, a bit strange, though he _is _a genius, I suppose, and he's like me- and you're used to me… He looks like me," He watched, dubiously, before moving into her direct vicinity and continued in a whisper against her ear, "Just watch out for what he does, says, or wants from you. Just don't confuse _us, _Sakura, don't confuse him for me, I don't want to see you hurt from this,"

Sasuke moved away from her, the tickle of his breath still tingling her neck, her ear. His words ran in anxious circles around her mind. The warning had been thick in his voice, the worry sharp. Sakura stared at her friend in bewilderment, her hand rubbing against the place on her neck where his breath had tickled, as if wanting to hold on to the feeling.

To Sasuke the gesture did not go unnoticed, though he had no time to act, as Naruto boomed down the road in a blur of loud yellow, orange and blue.

"Sa-ku-ra-Cha-nn!" He roared, slowing and panting as he came to a steady halt in front of the two. "Heh…" Naruto grinned boyishly, his face typically full to the brim of good nature and love for his friends. But Sakura couldn't help but detect was a sadness, an aching behind that cheerful smile, which no amount of grinning could ever mask.

"Oi," Sasuke snapped at the blond. "Get here on time you worthless buffoon,"

"Ah bugger you! I was here as quick as I could be. Wasn't my fault Tsunade-Baa-Sama dragged me into a fucking meeting," Naruto growled, mock-prodding the Uchiha with an annoyed finger. "I whinged and she only just let me go, alright?" He shuffled in front of Sasuke, darting to Sakura.

She grinned, the reaction brought on simply by gazing in his cheerful, happy-go-lucky self. "Naruto!"

They jumped into a tight hug, taking comfort from each other's warmth. It was going to be strange, being parted from them, an extension of her family. Even when she'd been on missions for weeks at a time, Sakura would usually be either with them, meet them at some point within the mission, or shortly be reunited with them at the end of the endeavour.

The Eastern Base was a different story altogether; she would not see anyone for months or longer. And the busy lifestyle Sakura was sure she would find waiting at the Base would take up the majority of her time. There would be little time for correspondence.

Feeling possibly the last, large comfort of Naruto's bulk flush against her chest, a fear of loneliness and foreboding twisted her stomach into knots. It was difficult to release him, but it had to be done. When they moved away from each other, both had tears glistening down their cheeks.

Sasuke stood uncomfortably, pretending to be occupied with other thoughts. It was here that Kakashi appeared from a side street, his single visible eye curved in an optimistic smile.

"Kakashi-Sensei!" Sakura cried, and flung her arms around his neck. The copy-nin patted her back, and placed a hand atop her silky hair. He ruffled it slightly and wished her all the best in his calmly muted way.

The next half an hour or so moved in a flicker. Sakura bid farewell to her family, and to other friends who had turned up later. She and Kiyoshi formerly exchanged pleasantries, and both realised that they were still missing a member.

Five minutes passed, and the Sun was red-hot, high in its untouchable zenith. Sakura wondered whether it would be sensible to ask Sasuke where his cousin was, but her dark-featured friend waved away their worries.

"Cousin Shizuka tends to do what she likes," He said. "She is successful, well-trained, powerful, and although she's getting on a bit, is still unmarried. The Uchiha Elders want her for child-rearing," Sasuke made a face at this comment, his eyes narrowing clearly in disgust. Sasuke quite enjoyed bitching and about his clan to her, Sakura noticed, much more than he did so to Naruto or Kakashi.

"But she's stood strong, flashing the 'duty-to-the-village-card', and she has managed to avoid any cumbersome attachment,"

Naruto and Sakura listened intently to Sasuke's clan politics, whilst Kakashi shrugged nonchalantly at her lateness. "She's quite the girl," The Copy-Nin remarked.

"Ask Itachi, if you're more interested," Sasuke said, somewhat bitterly. "He can predict the acts of this clan with an uncanny precision, and, I can him viewing her Shizuka as a nuisance, and probably thinks of her as too close to home,"

"Why aren't there more Uchiha stationed at the Base?" Sakura asked.

"Oh, there are a few, maybe one or two others, but they're in constant circulation- the medical staff as you know tend to be more… permanent,"

_Permanent. _The word had been said, the taboo been uttered, mentioned. Sakura and Sasuke fell silent. It was another reminder, another kick in the stomach, that made everyone realise this would be the longest time they'd spend apart. The thought burned in the back of their minds' like a nasty itch.

Sakura waited, and waited, steadily growing dizzy in the midday Son. Most of the crowd had died away, and she was left with only the rest of her teammates. A handful of people still hovered around Kiyoshi.

It was then that Uchiha Shizuka decided to appear. Sakura took in the sight of the older woman, barely managing to mask her surprise. As was common of all Uchiha, Shizuka walked straight and proud, her head held high and elegant. Her dark, tall beauty was dazzling; nothing seemed to be withered with age. She was fit and stunning, powerful and intimidating, intelligent and observant. Her walk was like a flowing river, timed and measured, whilst the stare of her dark, deep Uchiha eyes was as sensuous as the wildest sunsets.

All in all, Uchiha Shizuka was a walking fantasy, desire personified, and the woman's mere presence shook Sakura to the core.

* * *

_I'm tired of waiting, _The Uchiha Commander thought bitterly, eyes whipping to a clock whose face never seemed to change. It felt like four o'clock had come and gone time and time again, but only a minute or two had trickled by. If only he could master time, wouldn't that be a true talent worthy of notability?

The group would most likely arrive in about two to three hour's time, and Itachi surveyed his list of things to do before he would greet them. He had seen to the general running of the Base, allowing each department to get on with whatever task he had assigned them. The Border Patrol Report for this afternoon had come back without any evidence of disturbances, and Itachi was confident the tightening of security was foolproof. He had devised it himself and its reliability was sound.

They had nothing to worry about tonight.

The only subject that had not been reported upon was the interrogation of the captured Mist Nin, and Itachi wanted to know why. It had been seven hours since the order had been sent. They may be withholding valuable information, and Itachi would not let them go to waste. He had not got this far by taking needless risks, or wasting resources.

The chair squeaked along the floor, and Itachi stepped round his large desk towards the door. He wandered through, and strode past a Yuugao lost in work.

The woman's eyes perked at the sound, and she watched the beautiful man walk to the outer door, his feet gliding with a graceful fluidity lost to so many.

"I'm going to see how the interrogations are doing," He said, pausing in the doorframe. "Seeing as no report has been sent,"

"Shouldn't you wait an hour, sir? Perhaps they are not quite finished yet?"

Itachi did not fancy waiting around for another hour or two. Though undoubtedly a Master in the art of patience, when faced with the opportunity of conducting something himself and with no other matters to attend to at the present, he could not sit and wait for news. Itachi would go there directly himself.

"I'd rather see to it now. If anyone comes looking for me, then they shall have to wait," He said firmly, and Yuugao nodded in acceptance. Itachi then continued on his way, at a comfortable, reassured pace with a relaxed step. He descended through the corridors, soon emerging from the stuffy building out into an equally stuffy courtyard.

Itachi was met with a silent, respectful awe from the ninja lining the space. He swivelled past them, heading into the slightly smaller of the Residential buildings where he knew the Mist shinobi were being held.

He stepped through the heavy doors, exchanged glances and shallow bows with the receptionist.

"Are they in the usual place?" He enquired, dark eyes boring into the small woman flicking nervously through her papers.

"O-Of course, sir, just downstairs like they normally are," She managed a smile.

"Thank you,"

Itachi strode to the stairs, quickly making his descent through the steep, low-lit stairway. The smell of sweat, blood and damp was rank in the air. Audible whimpers could be heard from the cells ahead, along with the malicious goading and taunting from whomever took it upon themselves to extract the information.

Although, having spent time in such a unit, he was not at all shocked by these conditions. Low, dire lighting without a hint of warmth, and little comfort in the cells added to the prisoner's sense of oppression, of weakness. It was a smart, practical idea to have these dungeons fitted, and Itachi commended whosever initiative it was.

His presence was eventually felt and someone, flustered and obviously exhausted, came to greet him.

"Commander, we were not expecting you," The nin said, the nervous tint of his voice far too blatant for Itachi to stand.

"I sent the order hours ago, a report was _expected,_" Itachi said sharply, eyeing the man with impatience. "Why have I not been informed already?"

The man's mouth fell agog, too surprised and intimidated even to form a logical response. A thin dribble of sweat formed on his twitching brow. Itachi gave him long enough. His dark eyes glared into the man with their trademark, eerie impassiveness as he stepped forward, fully intent of walking through the fool.

The man stumbled gracelessly out the way.

"Go get some sleep," Itachi shot, his back to the strange nin. He heard him stagger away up the stairs, tripping on the cold stones.

With disappointment poisoning his mood, Itachi wandered down the lamp-lit passageway, towards the echoing cries and taunts. As he came closer and closer, the man's face failed to leave his mind.

_I didn't recognise him. _That was not such an unusual thing, given the size of the troop, but it was still strange that Itachi had no recognition at all. And he was so ill at ease, the sweat on his brow too heavy, too nervous. Itachi was feared, certainly, but it still seemed ridiculous. He stank of blood, but Itachi would suspect as much. Still, Itachi could not discard his instincts.

_He was not part of the interrogation team, I'm sure of it. _

His gut instinct was sparking. He did not trust the situation, not at all.

Taking the small, compact walkie-talkie from his belt, he switched it on and held it to his mouth.

"Yuugao-San," He whispered.

"_Sir?_" The voice crackled back.

"A man is leaving Residential Building A, I didn't recognise him. Call the nearest patrol team immediately,"

"_Understood, sir!"_

Itachi switched off the walkie-talkie and attached it back to his belt. As he neared, a woman's scream bounced off the cold stonewalls. If he remembered correctly, there had been no women counted in the five captured nin.

The scream triggered a malice that swirled through his limbs as if it were the blood his enemies, charging him, his chakra ready and deadly. Itachi's eyes bled to red and the marks of his lineage swirled in ominous, black circles.

_How many of you are there still here? _It was four at least. That much was clear.

Itachi sped down the corridor, cautious and alert. The screams were louder now. The light from the cold room becoming brighter, the wooden door nearer. Itachi's heart thumped, adrenalin pumped through his veins preparing his lithe, fit body for action.

A kunai slipped like second nature into his palm, preparing him for killing.

Seconds later, something flickered from the door like a flame in the wind, a form that disappeared as quickly as it had a ghost. To any other, it would have been too quick to pinpoint, but Itachi's sharingan followed it with ease.

The first Mist-nin attempted to smash into Itachi, utilising his superior bulk and weight. The Uchiha leapt out of reach, clinging to the ceiling, before dropping back down on his assailant, slipping the kunai easily into the side of his neck. The man howled, his face contorting in pain as his last moments were ripped away, eyes wide in the shock as they stared into Itachi's unreadable sharingan.

Feeling the man limp under the attack, Itachi tore the kunai from his flesh and budged the corpse aside. He awaited a second attacker, but none came. He strode forward, itching to punish these cretins for trying to escape from _his _base, thinking they could get away with this atrocity right under his nose.

The impudence hurried Itachi on, and soon another chakra made itself present. In the doorway another nin stood blocking the way. Itachi did not slow; instead he sped up, his sharingan predicting the movements of his enemy. The Uchiha avoided any blows, and his knee soon connected with the man's jaw-line, the force knocking him dead instantly as his neck elicited an audible snap.

The room was now in plain sight, and Itachi stared with eyes narrowed in anger as the bodies of his staff littered the granite floor. A whimpering kunoichi sat bound and bloody against a wall. She dared not look at the Commander, her shame and degradation was too great.

Itachi's focus left the girl, until they rested upon a skinny man who appeared to be the final wannabe-escapee. A medic-nin, eyes thin and cruel snarled at the Uchiha, his gaze completely uncompromising and unyielding.

Itachi would surely make him pay for such an insolent, arrogant act. No one showed disrespect without reaping the consequences.

Attaching the kunai back to his belt, Uchiha Itachi let his eyes bleed black, a small dark smirk adorning his perfect lips.

The girl shuddered on the cold floor, and the Mist medic-nin cocked his head slightly in confusion- what could this man be doing? His eyes wandered the room, grasping for an alternate escape route.

Itachi closed his eyes. "Run… run and attack me,"

The Mist-nin did not move. Tension clouded the air, its affects almost as suffocating as the rancid stench of the blood and vomit already in the tiny, enclosed room.

"I dare you," Itachi said, smirking deeper now, eyes still closed. "You've got no better choice, no better escape route. The only way out is this door. This is your only chance. I shall not be as generous as this a second time,"

The medic-nin was shaking now. The thought of the man's fear repulsed Itachi. He could smell it on his sweat. He knew he had one chance, and only this chance. He would most likely die, but this small, stinking room was starting to unnerve him, and now he was all alone.

Alone, and with nothing else to lose.

He charged, foolish as the decision was. Itachi, of course, was ready for him. The fool deserved to die, really. Such stupidity should be punishable.

As the man neared, Itachi's eyes flashed open. Red and black swirled. The medic-nin was faced with something terrifying, something black and red, and he in turn was spiralling down, and down… deeper and deeper…Until Itachi appeared before him, larger and more imposing than ever before. The medic-nin's eyes whipped around and around- he was not in the room anymore, he was somewhere else. He fell to his knees in chaotic bewilderment.

"How dare you," Itachi said deeper, angrier, voice sharper. "How dare you shame this place, this under centre _my _command, _my _responsibility, _my _pride. How dare you think you can do such things to _my_ ninja whilst still in _my_ territory, and then think you can escape so easily,"

Itachi's body shrunk back to normal size. He stepped in front of the man, his foolish body quivering. The medic-nin jumped as a katana emerged from Itachi's palm.

"And now you'll pay, _in my dimension,"_

* * *

The purperly twilight bled into day, and the sweet songs of birds were soon replaced by the pale beginnings of twinkling stars in the sky. Sakura observed this from her steady pace, feet stepping from tree to tree with uncanny fluidity.

_Not far now. _She thought with relief, as the journey taken longer than expected even at their flat-out pace and the shortcuts used.

Sakura watched her two companions, wondering how striking the difference between them all must seem.

Kiyoshi, scared, nervous and sheepish.

Shizuka, stunning, dark and fully self-assured with a confidence that could silence Naruto.

Not much conversation had been exchanged, and Sakura imagined this was because their main objective was to arrive as soon as possible. To sleep outside would be a pain, and to journey on through the night would mean they could not start properly tomorrow.

At least the sooner we get there, the quicker we eat. The thought was quite encouraging, considering Sakura had had little since before leaving. She pondered on the distance travelled, of the time spent running. It must only be less than an hour now, and that thought was quite reassuring.

The team soldiered on, and about forty-five minutes must have passed as the light drained from the vast skies. The horizon was now the colour of deepest ink, the stars and the milky moon at their most brilliant.

"Sakura-San," Shizuka broke the rule of silence, her sensuous, lyrical voice cut through the forest's sounds like a sharpened katana. "We're almost here,"

Sakura glanced up and met Uchiha Shizuka's gaze, dulling the temptation to look away. The woman, nimble and perfect, leapt from branch to branch with the balance and precision akin only to felines. She did in fact resemble a cat, her features large and small where they were most suited. Her eyes, large and coloured like the deepest depths of a summer midnight, made her appear elfin, mystical even.

"Yes," Sakura replied, swiftly escaping from the woman's hypnotic gaze. Her eyes were straining to see much, but the outlines of the mountains were still sharp and crisp. Just a mile beyond these mountains and they'd arrive. "A few minutes, if that?"

"Yes, we'll all hit the thicket very soon," Shizuka said, shooting a quick glance at the determined Kiyoshi. An approving look graced her features. "You have not been here before?"

"No," Sakura shook her head. "Have you?"

"Oh yes," The Uchiha smirked. "Many times… it's a pleasant enough place, although I'm sure you're aware of some _nefarious shit that's heading our way, hmm?" _

Sakura giggled slightly at the reference. That sounded like Tsunade- a _close_ Tsuande- if ever she heard one.

"Yes, yes she did," Sakura said and the laughter soon died, though Shizuka's expression never changed. "It's a pity,"

Shizuka harrumphed. "Maybe, though peace cannot last forever- and some would even go as far to say there is no such thing as peace,"

"_War is peace?" _Sakura quoted, and Shizuka cocked her head to the side slightly, as if measuring the younger woman.

"In some respects. Though, I'd say it's more or less relative to which country you're referring to,"

"So… in relation to the Water Country…?" Sakura's eyes narrowed, her thoughts troubling. "You would say that statement's correct?"

"Precisely," The Uchiha medic smiled, a little too knowingly for Sakura's liking. "The Leaf and the Mist have never been friendly. Water and Fire have never been compatible, and never will be,"

The conversation ended on those bitter, jarringly haunted words. Shizuka turned to talk to Kiyoshi.

_Must be rallying the troops? _Sakura thought, one eyebrow raised, feeling slightly stung. She could not hear their conversation, so was once again left alone with the forest's wondrous cacophony. The melodies of the crickets' songs clashed with the occasional hoot of an owl, or the sweet flutter of bats' wings. The Moon was higher, its brilliance burnt into the velvet sky as if it were an engraving of sliver ink.

_I could quite easily get used to this. _The Moon was different here; wilder, sharper, huge and entirely ethereal. There was no light pollution from the windows and lamps of Konoha to dull the night sky.

After a few minutes something tall and harshly cut against the towering trees caught Sakura's eyes. It looked to her like a building, or perhaps a shrine? She could not tell in this light. Turning to her comrades, Sakura found they had both fallen silent. Shizuka glanced quickly at Sakura, nodding to answer the kunoichi's silent suspicions.

_This is the Eastern Base?_

And as if on cue, four separate chakras made themselves readable. The team ground to a halt as four sleek Anbu officers leapt onto a large branch in front of them, raising their hands in greeting.

* * *

_They're here. _Itachi sensed it. Every inch of him tingled in a well-masked mixture of trepidation and excitement. He was leaning against the wall of the HQ, watching the degraded group of Mist (or whomever was left) as they sat tied to a pair of unmoveable posts in the middle of the courtyard. Only two were left. They were the two to have escaped from the compound. Itachi had _accidentally_ terminated the skinny one with a slightly over-powering Tsukiyomi.

It was not a terribly great loss, to say the least.

A list of those the nin had tortured was posted on boards in front of them. Itachi had made sure they were large enough for all those leaving each building to see. As courteous as they tended to be, the Leaf ninja were not exactly accommodating.

_They tortured comrades needlessly, wasting their time for escape. The fools deserve to die for their recklessness. _Itachi glowered, watching in dark satisfaction as his soldiers shot nasty glances and insults at the bastards. Some had even gone up to them and smacked them around. They resisted less than rag dolls. _So pathetic. _

Appraising glances snaked their way to where Itachi was standing. Cautious, yet commending comments flowed in the night air.

"_A coincidence?" _Itachi heard someone exclaim from the masses. _"Fucking hell! How does he do it- what, three down?-"_

"-_yeah, nicked 'em in seconds, apparently-" _

_"-yeah! Those fuckers right there-"_

"_-had the scum strapped to the posts-" _

"_-best place for the slime-"_

"_-killed that fit bloke, yeah, the blond one-"_

"_-now I heard she's being treated for shock-"_

"_-I hope they rot-"_

And so the hostile banter continued. Itachi listened, and waited, knowing his new permanent arrivals were mere feet away. Sensing their closeness, he moved and walked towards the other side of the courtyard. Ninja shuffled out the way, eager not to step in "His" sinister pathway. Heads turned, eyes gleamed in a sea of admiration that Itachi brushed away. To any other, he would seem arrogant and stuck-up, but it was simply his way- brushing away what he didn't want and taking what he did want came easily to such a man.

As he neared the thicket, a sizeable group emerged from the dark foliage. The Anbu Officers he recognised and deciphered immediately. Each saluted as they sensed his presence. The others, watching the Anbu group followed suit, though from the tallest member he knew this was not without a look of ridicule.

"Good work," Itachi said to the Anbu staff. "You may leave us now,"

They did as commanded, and Itachi indicated for the three to move forward, into the soft lights of the courtyard. Kiyoshi wandered forward first, his gaze fearing and slightly awe-inspired. Itachi greeted the nervous boy as pleasantly as he could muster.

_This shall be an experience, _he thought sceptically, and felt a shiver of annoyance as a slither of audible amusement escaped Shizuka. Glancing up and with words of encouragement Itachi directed Nakamura Kiyoshi to the other ninja, all watching curiously at the fresh batch of new faces. Itachi just hoped the child wouldn't explode.

"That was quickly done, Cousin," Shizuka said, her smirk just like that of every other wretched Uchiha. Her appearance was nothing less than ghostly; she looked far too young for her many years, her skin too plump and eyes too knowing. He watched her, measuring, as her own calculating gaze smouldered across the courtyard. "Nice to see things never change here, you should see Konoha now,"

"I have," Itachi said smoothly. "I've seen the new Konoha in pictures sent to me by Mother and Sasuke," Out of the corner of his eyes, Itachi noticed the pink-haired girl's eye light at the mention of his brother's name. Steadily, he moved on, "I trust they're as well as you appear to be,"

Shizuka grinned. "Thank you, Cousin, and yes, Mikoto-San's very well, as is your father. But Sasuke…" She wandered closer, eyes locking with Itachi's. Between them, the familiarity in looks was bizarre. Shizuka kissed Itachi's cheek, just as a sister would, and held his shoulders fondly. He was very aware of the many eyes staring. "I think you should ask Sakura-San…" Itachi glared through her. "She knows all about Sasuke-_Kun." _She let his shoulders go and stepped backwards. "We'll talk later, longer, after dinner,"

Itachi remained impassive. The woman had not arrived for two minutes and was already infuriating. After some consideration he nodded. "Till then,"

"Sakura-San," Shizuka waved, and sauntered away, swaying with animalistic grace into the bustling crowds, reacting to exclamations of jovial greetings as people recognised her beautiful form.

_Snake. _Itachi's inward voice half-snarled. _That is what __**you **__remind me of… Shizuka. A vicious, gaudy treacherous snake. _Itachi would not trust that woman as far as he could throw her. He cursed the Elders for her presence, for her watchful, deceitful glance. _She will be trouble._

However, he had no time for those thoughts. Itachi turned to the other one, the promising one.

Haruno Sakura, his brother's friend.

The girl smiled back, quickly asserting her confidence, though she did feel intimidated. He could feel her smooth body quiver with anxiousness.

"It's a pleasure to meet you," She said, and Itachi noticed how rosy, how lovely her voice seemed. She was a very attractive girl, pretty in a much different way to that of Shizuka. In the poor light, Itachi managed to decipher her colours; the bright pastels, the stark contrast between that luminous hair and those pretty green eyes. She met his gaze with ease, unknowingly bearing a spark of familiarity Itachi had hardly expected. "I look forward to serving under your command, sir,"

"Thank you," Itachi replied. "I've heard much about you, from Sasuke," He added a slight emphasis on his brother's name, smirking as Sakura flushed. _I can see why he likes you. _Itachi's eyes roamed her body skilfully, undetected. What a beautiful girl indeed. She'd make a fine prize. "I'm sure you will find this place accommodating enough, it is one of the better Bases, after all,"

"Yes," Sakura said. "It does seem very nice here, much better in the light I guess?"

Itachi smiled slightly, nodding. "It's best in the morning, when it's quiet. Early morning especially, as the Sun rises over the sea,"

Sakura's eyes widened slightly, watching the man who looked so much like Sasuke. His eyes hazed with reminiscence.

"It's also better in the early morning because you can hear the sea even from here," He said, voice quietening. "The waves bathed in the golden light of a morning Sun will be better than any fabled scene of Konohagakure, I assure you,"

Sakura stood, like a rabbit hypnotised by the mesmerising gaze of the a wise, predatory weasel. Her large eyes looked back and forth into his, searching, searching for more glimpses of Sasuke. _He looks so much like him. _It shouldn't have come as such a shock, seeing as they were brothers. They were bound to look alike. They had matured almost identically. Sasuke had warned her too, hadn't he?

_But the resemblance is more than uncanny. _Sakura thought, her gaze never leaving his. She was intrigued by the slight taint of surprise hidden in those deep orbs.

"You see Sasuke in me," Itachi smirked. Sakura's eyes widened in embarrassment, her cheeks reddening.

"You… um… do look very alike,"

"Naturally," Itachi said matter-of-factly. He turned from Sakura, quite abruptly, and indicated her to follow. "Come to my Quarters. You and the other new staff are to be welcomed officially there. Dinner has been served,"

Sakura followed the Uchiha, mindful of the curious, sometimes hungry eyes that followed her slim form. Kiyoshi was quick to come to her side, whilst Shizuka seemed to wander around the crowd, seeming very nonchalant about the whole affair.

Sakura followed Itachi, like a sheep, through the crowds of congregated ninja. The sights and smells were new, but she would become accustomed to them eventually. As she walked, her eyes were transfixed on the swish of Itachi's ponytail, the raven hair reaching down his strong back.

_So much like Sasuke. _Minus the hair, they could be identical, and the thought worried her.

She thought of his words, his speech. His face was near the same, but it was obvious that he as a person was much different to Sasuke. _I must be careful not to confuse them... _She thought, remembering how Sasuke had forebodingly warned her earlier.

And yet, even with this ominous thought looming like an angry black cloud in the back of her mind, Sakura had a strong feeling that times were about to be come much more interesting, if not dangerous, if all suspicions and actions were to be proven correct.

* * *

Done.

Thanks for reading

Now please drop a review if you can 8D!

* * *


	2. The Night of Impressions

Revised: 05/02/09

Thank you for your reviews!

Further stuff at the bottom of the page. 8D

Just under half as short as the first chapter (I didn't want to split it up- seemed meh)

But they shall probably range from about this length, and the length of the previous chapter ;P

And yes, my music taste is rather random 8)

* * *

_He deals the cards as a meditation_

_And those he plays never suspect  
_

_He doesn't play for the money he wins  
_

_He doesn't play for the respect  
_

_He deals the cards to find the answer  
_

_The sacred geometry of chance  
_

_The hidden law of probable outcome  
_

_The numbers lead a dance_

**Sting**- **Shape of my Heart**

* * *

_**Chasing the Moon**_

**_Chapter Two- The __Night _of _Impressions_**

* * *

_This place is a maze. _Sakura thought, whilst following the tall, slender, yet dominating form of the mysterious Uchiha Itachi. The small troop, now joined by Shizuka, consisted simply of the three medics and their enigmatic Commander. They were touring through the HQ building, numbly mesmerised by the new infusions of sight and scent. To her fresh eyes the corridors seemed to twist and turn into unimaginable spaces, their combined length endless and presence slightly overwhelming.

It will take weeks to memorise all this… And it would be demanding work, surely, yet this did not put a damper on Sakura's optimistic mood. The HQ was most innovative in its design, quite modern and industrial with a heavy inner skeleton of iron and tall shiny windows. Beneath them, their feet clattered on wide iron staircases.

"My quarters are at the top of the building, as are yours," Itachi said, talking to Sakura.

"Kiyoshi and Shizuka, yours are in the Hospital," He announced, directing them towards another flight of rattling stairs. His voice was smooth and cultured, its cool resonance reminding Sakura of the purest, softest silk bed sheets affordable only to highest echelons of society.

"Speaking of which," He continued, waving absently to the left beyond the windows, where a slightly smaller building stood grey and sombre in the darkness. "That building there is the Hospital,"

"When shall we see inside the Hospital?" Sakura asked, eyes drawn to the view of the said construction through the huge cathedral windows. It was lit low, the highest floors lost in an inky obsidian night. It was bizarre for Sakura to be surrounded by a night sky so dark. It would be a difficult thing to become used to.

Itachi gazed back, majestically craning his neck in the process. The movement grabbed Sakura's attention in an instant.

"Tomorrow," Replied the Commander, and Sakura harrumphed quietly at the answer. She was eager to learn the ways of Eastern, eager to know her equipment, her fellow staff and was itching to see inside the building.

"Early morning," Itachi added, still watching her. His lips widened into a small smirk as Sakura noticeably gulped at the notion. "I want you up early so we can go through the agenda, seeing as you will be taking the Consultancy,"

Pardon?

"Consultancy?" Sakura blinked, shooting a surprised look at the Official. "I-… I'm taking the consultancy…?"

"Yes,"

"So soon?" She could not believe her luck. The Consultant was essentially the Chief Medical Officer, the Hospital Supervisor and Head-Medic; all rolled into one- the highest-ranking person inside any shinobi Hospital.

"Yes," Itachi repeated, glancing quickly at Shizuka, and turning his head back forward.

"But…?" _Shizuka was ideal for that position, surely?_ Her skill, experience and medical ninjutsu knowledge was of the highest calibre. How could this be?

Sakura whipped her eyes to the taller woman, surprised to find medical colleague entirely unaffected, smiling softly. "Surely-"

"I am a field-medic," Shizuka announced, her full lips curving with a thoughtful, nostalgic expression. "I belong on the battle field- and I'm not saying that _you aren't- _it's just you're better suited to that environment than I, and you are more than qualified for the position,"

Sakura blushed slightly from the praise; she had never easily taken such flattery graciously. She flashed Shizuka a wary look, the questioning blatant in her bright eyes.

"You will do fine," Shizuka said finally, sharply turning her head away.

Sakura's eyes lingered on the female Uchiha. Her movements had been stiffly awkward, harsh, even. Her expression lapsed into annoyance, as if to silently admonish Sakura for being so self-critical.

* * *

"Thank you," The girl said after a long pause.

Itachi half expected her to continue with some whimsical "I'll try me damnedest" rubbish, but thankfully, Sakura chose not to say anything more. Although, that said, Itachi couldn't help but twitch mentally at the uncertainty clouding her voice. That would be something to nip in the bud early.

He sensed the annoyance radiating from Shizuka. The lack of tolerance that woman held was trouble, and he sensed this would be something to keep closely scrutinised. It was a good idea to keep his cousin far away from any hospital work. In no way could she be caged, it was too late to tame her wild ways.

_I hate her being here. _He thought bitterly, careful not to bare his feelings. _Had I not been so busy, I would have taken time to select them myself. _

"You're the best suited for the position, just as Shizuka-San said," He replied to Sakura's quiet gratefulness. "You needn't be worried,"

Finally, the last step was taken, and Itachi waited for the others to arrive on the landing.

"This floor is mine," He announced, indicating a large area with three alarm-secured doors. "Few are authorised to come here without invitation, and generally appointments are made through my secretary,"

The latter part of that statement was not a rule set in stone, but something that had occurred naturally. Itachi did not like numerous advisors rooting through his quarters and hated the hassle of constant harassment from all corners of Eastern. It soon became apparent to all ninja stationed here that their Commander was not easy to talk to.

Itachi glanced around the landing. _Where is Yuugao? _The woman was nowhere to be seen.

After a long minute, Yuugao made her hasty appearance, emerging through a large side door to the group's left. She looked neat and sophisticated, with her long, long hair scraped back into an elegant arrangement atop her crown.

Itachi watched as she and the medical staff exchanged pleasantries, observing their separate behaviours with interest. Shizuka was coolly confident, as always, and Kiyoshi was surprisingly composed, if not a little inundated with the speed of events.

Itachi was pleasingly surprised when Sakura rearranged her worried expression into one of capable, plausible confidence. He could see Yuugao's dark eyes light with genuine happiness, her immediate gut-instinct praised the girl, and that made Itachi wonder evermore how much this strange kunoichi's proficiency stretched.

Haruno Sakura appeared quite the fascinating little creature, a uniquely pure beauty, talented and a natural people-person.

_How different she is to you, _Itachi rested his gaze on Shizuka, watching how the woman stared carelessly out the window at the piercing Moon, her disinterest too blatant to be polite. After a few seconds, she felt the weight of his eyes and met their watch. A moment of measurement based between them, like an electrical surge. Neither had seen the other for years.

Itachi had not been looked at so contemptuously since he left home, since he last felt the shattering weight of his father's suspicion. Shizuka's insolence jabbed him mentally, and the urge to unleash his sharingan was nothing but pure torment.

He would speak to the witch after, but until then he would have to make do with containing his anger.

* * *

First impressions were moments held in high regard within the shinobi world, and Sakura was quite unsure about how well hers were shaping out.

A crippling sense of regret gripped her as she sat down amongst the other high-ranking officials of Eastern, all ready for dinner. Shizuka was averting her gaze whenever possible; Sakura's self-doubt had obviously _offended _her for some bizarre reason, and the thought caused the kunoichi nothing but embittered regret. It did not help that both women had been seated at either side of Itachi (who was naturally head of the table). The two women were directly opposite each other. To make matters even more embarrassing, Sakura was entirely convinced that Uchiha-Taichou felt all their awkwardness as if it were a poison cloud in the cool night air.

_He's annoyed. _Sakura could tell; his face was the same as Sasuke's, though quite less animated. He said very little throughout most of the affair, choosing not to lead or enter any conversation.

Shizuka on the other hand was rather chatty, her articulation virtually non-stop. It was only when dinner was served did she quieten down.

Throughout the meal, Sakura found herself bound into a pleasant conversation with Kiyoshi, and found him to be not nearly as shy as she had first perceived. He seemed to have finally warmed up; his confidence boosted perhaps by a little smidgen of alcohol? Wasn't that one of the perks of that nefarious substance?

Sakura was beginning to agree with herself, and as the liquid surged through her bloodstream, she began to care less. Her thoughts about first impressions became less stressful, and now everyone seemed to be caring less.

However, this did not appear to apply to the two seated nearest. Itachi had not taken a drop, and Shizuka appeared unaffected by the gallons of wine she consumed. _Probably speeding up her metabolism. _It was simple enough to do, and Sakura should have done the same, but the tipsiness was bringing out the best in her.

Her slow demise into intoxication had not gone unnoticed by the great Uchiha Itachi, who was now watching her, eyes slightly amused. His expression hooked Sakura's attention, as would any such look from any such attractive man would.

She watched as he stretched his hand towards a bottle of half-drunk red wine, and tipped it into his own glass, all the while keeping her gaze. The buzz of conversation seemed to melt away as she stared into those fabulous orbs; so dark, so mysteriously like her childhood friend's own.

A jolt ran along her spine as a flash of red sprang into Itachi's eyes, and a surge of chakra tainted her, shocked her, sobered her. Sakura stared wide-eyed, the amusement on his embarrassing her. Disbelief clouded her judgement, her perception. Had Itachi just used his sharingan so carelessly to sober her?

_Surely not…? _She questioned inwardly, though was sure the shock was unconcealed. A reverie caught her in that moment, and she remembered once when Sasuke had used his own doujutsu against her, trapping her mind. His "experiment", as he had named it at the time, when both were just fifteen and sparring had been an ample success. He had knocked her out with strong genjutsu, and the same giddy, light-headed feeling arose now just as it had back then when she awoke.

Itachi scanned her face and seemed well aware of what she was thinking.

"You seem surprised, Sakura-San," He stated, tipping his head minutely in question. "You have felt the effects of the sharingan before, surely?"

Sakura smirked slightly, deviously scanning her body with her chakra. She could alter the effects of this quite easily with enough effort and concentration.

"If you mean Sasuke-Kun's, then yes, he's used it on me," She said, quietly, still focusing her efforts. "Sparring, of course,"

The cheeky end note made Itachi's eyebrows lift noticeably, and a slight smirk adorned his features. He scanned her face again, his eyes masterfully glinting back and forth from normal to sharingan so skillfully that none other than Sakura noticed. He weighed her fully and expertly as he watched her enforced sobering lose its effect.

"Yes," Itachi said, and nodded. "Sasuke did mention you a couple of times,"

Sakura's brow furrowed. What was this? "I'm sorry, what do you mean…?"

"In his letters," Itachi replied. "We keep in touch through post. He has mentioned you as well as the Kyuubi child and Hatake Kakashi,"

Sakura cheeks reddened. She turned her face away. Itachi said their names in such a disinterested, bored manner. He seemed so arrogant in that moment, so dismissive. It stoked her inner fire. Itachi gazed at her actions, a small smile dancing on his lips.

"Uchiha-Taichou," She said firmly, but restrained, lest she'd attract unwelcome attention from around the table.

Itachi's eyes watched her blankly and expectantly, his face as carved and stunning as a perfect Venetian mask. His beauty was ethereal in the low-lit quarters.

"Please don't call Naruto _that. _Please don't refer to him in that manner," She said, but her voice was wavering. She would have to relinquish their gaze from Itachi's eerie stone-like stare if she were to still sound firm. "Please don't think he and that monster are the same,"

Itachi's eyebrow twitched. It had been fast, the movement and crack in his mask of apathetic plaster had been fleeting, but Sakura saw it.

Without answering, Itachi pursued his wine glass, and gulped a substantial amount of the throat-warming liquid. Again, his eyes never left her. When he finished, the glass was placed back on the table. Horror stirred within Sakura, as Itachi then moved to lean closer to her.

"What should I call him instead, _Doctor_ Haruno?" He whispered, enjoying how their proximity conjured such racy feelings within her. She was so easy to read.

"Call him Naruto," She whispered back, finding her feet. "His name is Uzumaki Naruto, and don't call him "Kyuubi-boy". You'd know why if you knew him like I do,"

His eyebrow gave a noticeable twitch again, but his mouth smirked.

_There's no need to fear him, _Sakura pondered inwardly with the alcohol flowing freely through her veins once again. _He is just another Sasuke. _

Itachi was about to say something, and would have done so, had some mysterious force not stolen his attention. His thoughts seemed to pause, his mouth went to form words, but the act was not followed through. Instead he leant back, though still watching her, considering her. Tenseness suddenly wracked through his body, stiffening his limbs. His eyes travelled from Sakura to the view from the windows, and they glazed over, just as dark and mystifying as before.

His movements left Sakura emotionally confused, and she sat still gazing at Itachi in bewilderment before realising she was being very impolite. It was easy enough to integrate herself back into the conversation, but all the while her mind was still occupied by the strange and baffling behaviour of Sasuke's dazzling elder brother.

* * *

_What is this? _Itachi snarled inside, fighting the urge to rip Shizuka out of the room and send her sorry and ashamed back to Konohagakure.

As entertaining as exchanging his brother's dear little friend all hot and annoyed had been, he was rudely torn away from this conversational foreplay by the disturbing touch of Skizuka's slender hand running up his thigh, hidden under the table.

_What the hell is she doing? _He froze, carefully not revealing any thought or trace of emotion across his face.

A sickening thought entered his mind. Had this been what the Uchiha Elders had in mind by sending her here? Would they really sink to such a low? Of course they would. Such twisted machinations wouldn't and shouldn't have surprised him in the slightest.

Fury raged through him, and her hand traced higher towards more intimate places. Itachi repressed a violent shudder, and allowed his piercing glare to fall upon the smug face of Cousin Shizuka. He positioned himself so only she could see his anger. The look in her eyes was nothing less than professional; her level gaze left her inconspicuous and perfectly natural.

None would suspect a thing.

_Have they finally got to you, dear __**cousin? **_He stared her down bitterly, but the woman made no attempt to alter her hand's position. Her defiance was extreme, her audacity unimaginably insulting. Had this room full of people not made the idea impossible, Itachi would have flung her into a world of despair in an instant.

_This shall have to wait, _He reasoned, urging the evening to crash to an end.

To Itachi's relief, that time did not take long to come. The medics would need some rest if they were to be able to work coherently the next day. Itachi severely doubted Shizuka had even the tiniest notion of rest, given her advances, but he would make it perfectly clear that that was _precisely_ the kind of thoughts she should be having, not this sickening atrocity.

Itachi shook her off, just as the party was about to leave. Luckily, he had been too disgusted with the situation to even be partially aroused. He stood up and was just able to conceal his white-hot rage.

As everyone horded out of the room, Sakura and Kiyoshi stared behind as Itachi wandered towards them.

"Yuugao-San," Itachi said, ushering the pair towards the purple-haired women. "Take them to their lodgings; and come back afterwards,"

"As you wish, sir," She smiled, though tossed a quizzical look beyond his shoulder at Shizuka, as she had not moved to leave yet.

"I must speak with her," He said sharply, and the three pairs of eyes staring back at him seemed to quiver. His mood appeared to be darkening. "She knows where her lodgings are. Goodnight,"

The others bid him goodnight, and so he was left alone in this large room; a dining room, with his devilishly beautiful cousin lounging in one of the comfy chairs; his chairs. Her eyes were alight and devious, like two black roses in full bloom, glistening with sweet dew after a light summer rain.

Itachi turned from her, locking the door. Yuugao would use another door if that one was already locked; she knew the drill. He paced the room a while in contemplation. His fist curled under his chin, whilst the other arm lay across his chest. Itachi's expression was darkly blank, his thoughts twisted with this new dilemma. He did not so much as glance at his cousin.

_How do I solve this?_

"Shizuka," He said, surprisingly calm given the circumstances. "This wasn't your idea,"

Shizuka shook her head. "No." A nasty grin spread from ear to ear. "And neither was returning to this shitty little cess-pool, but we all need to do our _duty,_ now,don't we?"

"Duty…?" Itachi mused, toying with the sound, turning the syllables around his in mind. A sinister smirk adorned his features as he stared back at Shizuka. "Is that what Fugaku's named it?"

"_Your father_ had little to do with it, actually. He knows, of course, and seems to approve, but it's the Elders you need to blame, Itachi-_Kun," _Shizuka grinned as she added the patronising honorific. Unfolding her body from the constraints of the table and chair, the deadly kunoichi sauntered, hips swaying deliciously, towards Itachi."You've really been gone far too long..." Her eyes invaded his privacy, his body, as if she were attempting to delve into his core, his precious soul. "_My_ _goodness_, I remember you as just a little boy- talented, oh yes, but still just a child. Look at you now. You've grown up indeed, and haven't you turned out _just so gorgeous?"_

Itachi glared, face tinged with a cold, collected anger. She spoke to him like he was five-years-old. How old had she been then? Twenty-odd? It must have been… What a sick concoction this was. As she neared, Itachi's chakra flared maliciously, the act making Shizuka's smirk deepen.

"No wonder you're so popular with those stupid sluts,"

"This is complete nonsense," He growled.

"No," She chided. "There are some responsibilities one cannot avoid or push to the side. The Elders want me _pregnant_. Seeing as you're being such a rebellious little shit, they want to reap all they can from you before something inevitably _tragic_ happens,"

"I think I have made it clear enough to them that I want nothing more to do with those manipulative scumbags,"

"What? Still naïve enough to think you can escape Fate?" Shizuka chuckled, her hand extended, ready to touch him. "You can't avoid it, Itachi, so why bother with this useless charade?"

"I don't remember you being so fatalistic, Shizuka," Itachi stated, chuckling slightly, his eyes hard and blank as pebbles. "I'm _very _disappointed in you. I had always thought of you as a clan _outsider_, and now look at this. You've become just another puppet,"

"One's duty is paramount within families. You think this Village will be here for us? You think they care about the Uchiha? We were _segregated. _We were made scapegoats," Shizuka hissed through her teeth. "What more can we do? How can we persuade a village that _hates _us, persuade a government who distrusts us why we do not breed nor harbour terrorism? What's the point? Their minds' are set. One day Itachi, one day something bad will happen and you'll wish you stayed with your family; that is what I have learnt over the past years- just think of it as nothing more other than an understandable self-preservation, a safeguard. If I need to pump out a brat for them, then I might as well,"

Itachi watched the fear, the despair well in her large eyes. Even someone as popular as Shizuka worries over her position, over what people really think about her simply because of her family, her heritage. How ridiculous this all seemed. Although, however much Itachi may be in opposition, he was well aware that her anxiousness was not entirely unprecedented.

"The choice is yours," Shizuka added, as she admired the lines of thought cross Itachi's forehead.

Suspicions against the Uchiha were amounting once again, it seemed. This would be a thought Itachi would dread in meditation.

Abruptly, Itachi turned from Shizuka, the weight of the conversation making his hands fist into balls, so tight the knuckles were white.

Shizuka stared at the uncharacteristic act of explicit feeling on display by her younger cousin. A shiver of confusion ran along her spine, it was not something she had expected to see. Itachi moved to the doorway on the opposite side of the room.

"I made my choice a long, long time ago," Itachi said, and his words fell as if they weighed a tonne with every syllable. "And I shall continue to follow that path until the day I die…"

And with one last piercing look, Itachi glanced over his shoulder, silencing any retort Uchiha Shizuka might have formed with a sharp smear of savage red.

"Show yourself out,"

* * *

"… Now, this is where you shall be living, Sakura-San," Yuugao said, her hand motioning to the widely spacious Consultant's quarters.

Sakura stood agog, eyes wandering the beautiful, comfortable room. Despite herself, she couldn't repress a small chuckle. "You know, this one room is probably larger than my entire flat!"

"Ah, I know, they are massive here. No one expects this place to be so large and yet so well hidden," Yuugao nodded in agreement. "The trees are high behind you, but from the bedroom there's a beautiful view of the ocean, just over the tree tops,"

"You sound like you know this place well," Sakura smiled; at least Yuugao was more pleasant and easy to understand than Itachi.

"Well, I was last ordered to show the previous two Consultants the room, so I have been here before,"

"Oh, how long have you been here?"

"About nine months- I'm Uchiha-Taichiou's secretary, essentially- not that he really needs me, to be honest-"

"Sorry to interrupt," Sakura interjected, caught on something the older woman said. "Did you just say the _previous two_?"

"Yes," Yuugao blinked in bemusement, wandering what was so taboo. "You seem so surprised Sakura-San,"

"Two? In nine months?" What must be happening here, why _two? They must be joking! _The average Consultancy lasted at least a couple of years. "That's-"

"-You know how things are, Sakura-San. It's not as bad as you expect. The first one, some stuffy old git, quit after a couple of months- he was a traditionalist and didn't take to being under the command of someone thirty-odd years his junior. The other one, now he was nice, but he was killed just a few days ago, when we were attacked,"

They lapsed into silence, the subject of death; no matter how inter-woven it was to life as a shinobi, was forever a sombre theme to touch upon. It left a chill in the air that curdled the blood.

"Have repairs gone unhindered?" Sakura asked, feeling the desperate need to break the ice. "I didn't notice much damage,"

"Aaah, not bad, the Commander mobilised the forces effectively- the shell of the building was seen to quickly, though inside…" Yuugao paused, eyes glazing over. "I just remembered, you'll see everything tomorrow anyway, so you may as well ask then and see for yourself,"

Yuugao wandered through, showing Sakura into the spacious, luminous bedroom. Everything was bathed in soft light; the interiors matching the Hopistal's theme of clean, sparkling whiteness. Outside, the dark branches tickled the windowpanes as a flirty summer breeze swayed the gigantic trees. Indeed, the view to the sea was perfect, and in the midnight hour Sakura gazed upon what seemed to be a midnight sheet of ice, just visible above the treetops, glistening under the glittering stars, along with a pewter moon larger than any moon she had ever seen before. Its reflection shone on the smooth surfaced water, its pallor the same as the infamous glint of a razor-sharp katana in an ominous darkness.

"That really is beautiful," She said, gazing in wonderment.

"That isn't even the half of it, believe me," Yuugao grinned. "That is certainly one of the best perks of this job- I get to see the Sea from where I sleep too,"

The Sea was not visible from Konohagakure, and Sakura had never really thought about it before. Across the water, a gossamer cloud of blackness, darker than the night, seemed to inch around the border some way out nearer the horizon. Yuugao noticed Sakura's suspicious gaze.

"That's what's known as the downside," She said, a dark sigh on her lips.

"Kirigakure?"

"Spot-on," She paused, glancing at the clock on the wall. "Right, I better be off, let you sleep- Uchiha-Taichou wants you up five-thirty, sharp-ish,"

Sakura inwardly grimaced, and Yuugao chuckled at her reaction. The blatant disapproval and reluctance was somewhat fresh for around here, where everyone seemed to do their jobs without hesitation or groaning. Most were too afraid to bare their true thoughts.

"Lord knows how he does it," She grinned. "Some say he's superhuman,"

"Or maybe he's just insane?" Sakura huffed. "Cummon, _five-thirty_? I might as well not sleep,"

"Oh no- no, no- he'll notice, and be really pissed off, just get as much sleep as possible," Yuugao made her way to the door, and continued to speak as she left the quarters. "Your possessions are on their way, they'll be right outside before you wake-up! Good night, Sakura-San,"

"'Night Yuugao-San," Sakura called after her, and the sound of the door falling shut brought the room to a crisp, yet heavy silence. Finally, she was alone in her room, her very own department, even sporting its own bathroom, fully equipped, clean and shiny. Her living room was comfortable, with a sofa, desk and dining table with chairs. The room from that window spread across, into the forest. Finally, she glanced around her room. The bed was large, king-sized, the mattress soft and the tension perfect. The sheets and duvet were smooth and smelt like freshly picked bluebells, maybe with a hint of jasmine. The walls were painted calm, neutral colours, whose purpose was to inspire nothing less than the soundest tranquillity.

It would be haven coming to here, an escape from the hospital that would soon fill with bloody, butchered, mangled bodies. The mist, twinkling navy blue and nefarious in the moonlight confirmed these suspicions, these thoughts that slaughtered Sakura's optimism. She just hoped the peace would last, and that peace would allow her to enjoy the time spent under the watchful, blissfully sinful gaze of Uchiha Itachi.

* * *

The door in the other room creaked open, filling the it with footsteps still so full of trepidation and anxiety. Yuugao was beyond the wall, and Itachi waited for her to knock. His frustration was ripe, the encounter with Shizuka leaving him cold and beyond vexed. He was like a cat, seething with malice and annoyance with narrowed, almond-shaped eyes. His family was interfering with his life yet again, this continuing, relentless battle against his integrity had resurfaced.

_I should have killed them years ago. _They were a liability; no matter what stage their ambitious machinations were set at. _She is the worst liability my career has ever faced. _

This was true, and obviously Shizuka would have to be dealt with one way or another. He would not sleep with her; as beautiful as she was, there was something treacherous, a snake-like aura that surrounded her. Furthermore, she was his cousin. Although it was not unusual to marry relations to keep the blood "pure", Itachi still found the idea perverse and absurd. The woman held icy core that saw nothing other than her own self-preservation rise above all else.

She, least of all, could be said to be serving the "duties" of the Uchiha Clan. That woman was worse than him. Not an ounce of loyalty- not even true to her own feelings.

_And what of the other woman, Haruno? _She was certainly an interesting, and entertaining little specimen, and Itachi found it far easier to let his thoughts drift to her direction. She was young and inexperienced, maybe, but she would do well. She would go places. He had a good feeling with regards to Sakura.

Thinking of her, Itachi subconsciously bit his bottom lip.

"Commander?" Yuugao's voice penetrated his thoughts, the knock of her fist against the door following in an instant. He was glad she hadn't returned too late.

"Come in,"

Shizuka stepped into his office, her pretty face stained amber in the lamplight. She sidestepped the door, leaving it to shut behind her. Her stance was nothing but awkwardness, her eyes glancing at him in bewilderment.

She had never seen him as he was presented now- devoid of headband, his hair untied and flowing loose down his back. It framed his face like a scarf of black satin. His eyelashes were far too long for a man; they framed his eyes like layers of charcoal, creating a feminine and utterly bewitching spectacle. He was slouched over the desk, resting cheek in a single palm, the other hand balancing, twisting a kunai knife around long, slender fingers.

Itachi was too full of pent-up anger, too full of rage from his terrible family. It was enough to make him go mad. He wanted nothing more than to smash the kunai deep into the wall.

"Is everything alright, sir?" Yuugao asked, her countenance growing gradually more insecure by the passing minute.

"It's fine," He said, watching the thick light glint off the kunai and onto the wall. "Or it _will _be fine," His eyes traced her figure, her curves, and a noticeable shiver wracked her body from his blatant attentions.

"Lock the door," Itachi added, his frustration eager to be rid of. Yuugao would be an easy medium to use for _that. _She would occupy his thoughts for the night, keep him in balance and ease. It was true to say that he was also a little drunk, a little more inhibited than usual. Not that he ever _used _

Yuugao' s shock amused him.

"Lock the door, Yuugao," He repeated, this time softer, more sultry, and the sound brought liquid desire flooding to her pert little cheeks.

Yuugao hesitated at first, though her hands were deft and equally quick to please once the nerves were safely conquered.

* * *

I wonder if I should add an Ita/Yuu (though this is it for_ her)_ warning (although she is a terribly minor in the manga) but meh, can't be arsed. She's just a little tool for Itachi to take his frustration out on.

Sorry if the quality lacks a little, please tell me if it does! The other chapter I spent much longer on (seeing as it was over double the size and the first chapter, and that one's always the bitchiest /) But please, abuse me if it lacks compared to the other one.

To answer suspicions- Shizuka's a right naughty whooooooooore lol. she's just there to add a little extra spice and conspiracy- "the clan, the clan..." stuff, I guess. A little agent, as it is ;) She was actually inspired by "Rebecca", the super biatch in du Maurier's "Rebecca" lol. Brilliant novel.

Special, special thankies to everyone who reviewed, you were all very positive and optimistic which is lovely and encouraging. I hug you all like nuts. 8D

Please go do it again ;)


	3. New Dawn

This needed so much work on it o.o Inconsistencies managed. Crap argument altered. First mentioning of SasuSaku.

I changed it a fair bit, it's also about 3000 words longer.

Revised: 10/02/09

_I see it in your eyes_

_There is something_

_That you hide from me_

_Is there a reason why?_

**Lasgo- Something**

* * *

**Chasing the Moon **

**Chapter Three- New Dawn**

* * *

The sky was pewter grey, its pallor washed out by a monotonous, mizzling rain. She remembered the sky; there wasn't really much else to focus on at the time. The colour seemed burned into her memory. Her eyes probed these miserable skies, her gaze so ambitious and grasping it could have reached through the clouds.

Sakura was searching for something, but she wasn't sure what that was.

She stood dazed and confused, unsure of why she was unable to move. Her skin and hair was wet, and a chill mingled on the breeze, but her body was warm. It was only when something velvety and enticing brushed her lips did Haruno Sakura realise that she was being kissed.

The feeling came so quick, and Sakura was entirely unprepared for the contact. She felt hazy, her mind heavy and foggy, as if she were drunk. Her body fought as the surprising intrusion appeared to churn her defences into action. His touch did not lessen, the act was not given up, and Sakura slowly felt herself melting to the whims and desires of the kiss' perpetrator. Still unsure, but now fully entranced, Sakura sighed at the softness of his mouth. Inside, it was smooth and soft, its core like velveteen. He tasted of salt and raindrops, and a hint jasmine filled the air surrounding the couple, as if it were raising form the sodden earth.

For the moment, Sakura was quite unaware that this was all a dream; the feelings and sights were too lucid, the breath on her cheek too real. His lips were soft and succulent as they brushed against her own, taunting her senses with a whispered promise of raw and wanton pleasures. His was so deliciously fiery to touch, so addictive. His hair was wet, yet the strands were smoother to touch than cashmere.

_Black… _Sakura thinks, recognising the colour, though her vision is blurred as desire misted this dream.

The acknowledgment quickly escapes her, replaced by a shuddering as her body is pinned against a wall, the motion almost violent. Her neck is attacked by kisses.

The hands of her seducer roam along Sakura's powerful thighs, the same deft fingers slip up along her stomach, inching towards her breasts, the ministrations just rough enough to drive any hot-blooded human being into an aching frenzy.

Something is murmured against her neck, but all she understands is the sensation of the cool, tickling pitter-patter of raindrops as they maraud her skin. The voice's familiarity is overlooked, the recognition cast-aside. Lust, just as much as love, is blinding.

The lover's attentions become crass, his hands move to her backside, and he callously sinks his fingertips into the soft, cushioned flesh. Sakura emits a satisfied grown, tilting her head back to allow him further access to her neck.

_Who is this man? _Her fingers grip tight in his hair. She watches him nip at her skin, bruising it, branding it, but fails to make any sense of the situation or to his mysterious identity.

His fingers attack her, stimulating her skin as if she were wearing no clothes at all.

_Who is he…? _She can't quite reach it, can't quite see past this cold, lingering fog that clouds her recognition.

"See through it, Sakura," His words reverberate through the air, and her ears are successful in capturing the words through the dream. "See through it,"

As he repeats these words, Sakura glances down and her hand moves under the man's chin, forcing his face to hers. What confronted her were eyes so scarlet they almost glowed. Their colour was like that of danger, of warning… as beautiful as freshly sliced rubies. The dots and circles of black stand out, like ink blotches upon red paper.

Like lanterns in festivals…

His face moves close to hers once again, but her eyes never close, never leave his face. She is torn with confusion, with misunderstanding. Who is this?

He kisses her, deeply, ardently, and her eyes can do nothing but close and wallow in the passion. Sakura trembles with more than pleasure, her body wracks with a terror she had never felt before.

His lips move away very slightly, just out of reach. Had she have wanted to join them again, she would have to stretch her neck.

"See through the fog," He tells her again, and the enigma encased in the words intrigues Sakura to no end. But who is he, who is this man? She feels she should know, feels it is in her interest to know.

* * *

Sakura's eyes crack open, and for a moment nothing has been altered from her dream. Her eyes were thick and blurry; she thought she was still trapped in the fog. The shivers left from the dream still adorned her skin like an invisible rash. Then the moments ticked by with the loud thump of the second-hand, and realisation flooded the kunoichi.

_Of all the effing nights. _

The dream had been too vivid, too powerful, and it felt like Sakura had had hardly any sleep at all. She stumbled from bed, in quite the similar fashion of yesterday morning, the only exception being that she had been hung over and not exhausted. The clock face of the alarm showed a sharp five o'clock.

_Wonderful. _Sakura snarled inwardly, fumbling around the room for quite awhile, looking for her bathroom. It didn't help with the flat being colossal. Her feet were not used to the path, or the fluffy carpet, and she ended up in the lounge. _Even better…_

Sakura figured she might as well draw the blinds and wake up a little before attempting to locate the bathroom once again, so the young woman stumbled around the living space, hand feebly groping for the string dangling beside her window.

Her effort came with success, and the blind zipped up, the movement accompanied by an array of post-dawn sunshine spilling through the room like a glass over turned. The ferocity of the light caused Sakura to flinch, but her eyes adjusted eventually. A headache pulsed through her temples, but she was able to quell her hangover with a little care and focus of chakra.

The room was soon abuzz. Sakura whipped back into her bedroom, and the radio blared as she prepared herself for a brand new day. The affects of the dream had lessened, and in her rush she had pretty much forgotten the majority of it already. All that was left of those shady thoughts were the fog and the rain, but she could ignore those. Sanguinity and optimism swelled in her chest, making her relax and remain calm, despite the nagging anxiety that clawed at her cheerful blanket.

_He's not that scary, _She thought, head held high, shoulders straight and posture near perfect. _He's odd, certainly… and handsome, to say the least… _

A slight anxiety tinged with excitement filled as she realised that she would reunite with the Uchiha. The memories of his overwhelming presence, observed from last night, seemed to have softened, the vibrancy of his sharingan faded.

Perhaps they were washed away with the rain? Sakura couldn't tell; her thoughts didn't dwell, seeing as she seemed in high spirits.

The clock on the wall ticked and ticked away, showing nearing five thirty. Sakura gazed to and from the clock and the full-length mirror.

Taking one last look, she smiled in acceptance and turned on her heels, ready to meet the brooding Commander.

* * *

The sky was like soup, the colours bubbling and boiling to a frenzied birth of new light. The dawn was upon this new day, and just as before, Itachi was there to watch it.

The reddish-gold meandered along the water's surface, racing faster and faster as the clouds cleared and made way for the sun and its violent awakening. The colours were a distraction, and Itachi was unable to allow his eyes to slide shut.

The Uchiha frowned, and frustration swelled in the air around him. He was evidently unable meditate. This sky was too commanding, too forceful; the way it turned the sea into liquid inferno was intoxicating, beckoning.

When he opened his eyes, the water blazed a bright vermilion.

It was an ocean the colour of carnage.

* * *

_What a beautiful place. _Sakura thinks, her eyes wandering as she walks towards the hospital. Eastern was a place better to see in the light. A few ninja were already awake; the smell of cooking wafted sumptuously along a cool breeze. The trees swayed, leaves rustling and birds chirping. Sakura glanced behind her and was able to recognise the window to her bedroom. She was correct: Eastern was much better to behold in the sunlight.

It was a pity this place was rapt with impending battles, the thoughts of war looming like a bleak shadow; the site would not hold well and all this beauty would be torn to shreds… That was the most likely conclusion, anyway, as in a world this bitter, such destruction was inevitable, such violence was no more than a way of life.

Sakura sped to the hospital doors and entered into the spacious lobby. The smell of washed floors and alcoholic disinfectant lingered, but it was a smell she was used to. Eyes scanning the room, she stepped towards the reception desk, where a fellow white coat-clad doctor sat skimming through what looked like a pile of medical reports. He was handsome, appearing more the bookish intellectual than shinobi.

He glanced up and smiled, " Good morning,"

"'Morning," Sakura smiled back and halted in front of the wide desk.

"You must be Haruno Sakura?" He stood up, quickly discarding the papers.

Sakura nodded in response, and bowed politely, "Yes, it's nice to meet you…?"

"Dr. Hirose Satori, pleasant to meet you too," He reciprocated with a well-bred bow. His voice was crisp, educated, and Sakura guessed he was not of the usual shinobi background. " I've heard much about you and your skills- quite the growing legend in the medical profession,"

Sakura blushed at the complement. "Oh- thank you! But I'm nothing compared my Master,"

"Oh Lady Hokage is indeed great, I agree, and I envy your training, really," He said, a small glint of appraisal in his eyes.

"Forgive me but I've not heard much of you from around these parts," In comparison to normal shinobi, there weren't so many medic-nins. Sakura found it strange not to have heard of him.

"Oh, I'm not a shinobi. No, no." Satori shook his head, as if the idea were plain terrible. "_Just_ a humble doctor, and quite glad of it too. I prefer research to anything else. Anyway, I've been asked to show you the ropes by the Commander- and he'll be arriving shortly, in about an hour or so…"

_An hour? _Sakura couldn't help her eyebrows twitch. _I have to wait for him to turn up when he got me up at this hour?!_

"… he's asked me to show you around, and I don't think I need to patronise you anymore than that, seeing as you're no still- wet-behind-the-ears medical student,"

Sakura smiled over her evident annoyance. "One only stops being a student when they've learnt everything to know about life- as my Master would say,"

"Haha!" He chirps, and his eyes are too bright, the way he played with his. "Lady Hokage's wisdom?"

Sakura grins. "Well, you could say _unintentional _wisdom, but each to their own,"

* * *

Itachi traipses back to the base; his feet finding the way like second nature. He barely thinks of the long grass caressing his thighs, they feel numb, and his mind is elsewhere as his legs walk on their own accord. He gazes at the bright sun, its light dulled by a rush of soft clouds.

_The Haruno girl should be arriving now… _Prehaps he'd make an early appearance? Leaving her with Satori would buy him some time to mull things over before speaking with her.

It seemed there was far too much to think about at the moment. It was like the sunrise; too many colours to count; too many colours that merged, mingled and battled, fighting for supremacy. They became indistinguishable from one another, a well of brightness. The colours swam through his head, a kaleidoscope of reds, purples, pinks and yellows. They made his head thump, and the throbbing caused his eyes to bolt close.

If shinobi were sent into early retirement, it was usually because of the stress of all the death and all the battles and all the maimed faces of those the had killed. Unless they lived and breathed this kind of life with ultimate enthusiasm, without an inkling of hesitation or rebuke, without _questioning _their own humanity, then many found the ideas grating on them in time; a millstone made of the densest lead grinding perpetually.

Some squashed under the pressure; Itachi was not one of those men. He had been in situations like this before; they were nothing new. Heavyweight conundrums that weren't easy to settle. He would have to manage, have to cope, or otherwise he would fail and that was not an acceptable conclusion. Failure was not an idea he could process. he had, eventually, been successful in everything he set out to achieve in his young life. At twenty-four, he was already a legend fabled and noted for eternity.

This was only the beginning.

Yuugao last night had been a surprisingly successful stress-relief, though he'd most probably have to switch her soon. The incident would hinder her work, and she needed to be processed back into circulation for a while. It wasn't healthy for any shinobi to be left off the battlefield for so long.

With this thought in mind, he wondered who would be a suitable replacement. That would probably be left to some of the underlings to decide. It wasn't an executive decision, not like the hazardous sight of Kirigakure.

_They will push soon; I'm sure of it. _And why not? This time was as good as any. Even so, it would perhaps be detrimental to Kirigakure's future if an attack were to be delayed…

Itachi's eyes pushed open. The throb in his head was still present, but he would be able to sort that once at the hospital. The Sun was behind him, the heat burning into his back. He turns, and the light stings his face.

Kirigakure. The island was a concrete grey, a wicked shadow looming over the water, with a thick mist emerging from its foundations like smoke from a dragon's jaws.

Itachi's eyes smoulder. He knows who and what lies there… and to tell the truth, he'd rather be burned alive fighting than submit to someone with too much power and too much vendetta.

_I will always refuse to be a pawn. _

* * *

"Commander Uchiha asked me to show you the damage sustained to the Hospital from a few nights ago- it's nothing too serious, but we are having difficulties repairing the sector internally," Satori indicates to a substantial section of the hospital that appears charred and burned by a powerful chakra; it scarred the walls like tar in cancerous lungs. It smelt rancid, too.

"They are working on recovering the rooms," Satori continued, arms folded. "But it seems no one has been able to make much of a difference,"

Sakura stepped toward one of the walls of the burnt wards, their lengths looked like stained caverns of soot and decay. She extended a hand to touch the damage.

"It was a powerful fire-based chakra," The wall still tingled. It was odd; the dirty blackness seemed unusual and pointedly ominous in contrast to the whiteness of the rest of the building.

"You'd know much more about that than me. As I've said before, I'm more the scientist… But even I can tell the damage is extraordinary,"

"Have you notified Konoha?"

"We might have done," Satori shrugs. "I don't know, really, that's not drawn on my line of responsibility,"

Sakura sighs. It was not a happy omen by any means.

"I'd ask the Commander if I were you," Satori continues. "That's part of his job,"

"Hmmm," Sakura frowned with worry. Tsunade must not be oblivious to this, yet she had told her nothing. Things were becoming worse, she knew that much, but if she dared to ask, how much would the enigmatic Uchiha divulge? How much would he reveal? Was she entitled to know? Perhaps this wall was scarred with much more than clues.

"In fact, you can ask him now," Satori says, nodding in the direction of the dark figure steadily making his way along the white corridor behind. His footsteps were so quiet, his chakra so subdued; Sakura hadn't the slightest idea he was there. She turned, hand still placed on the dark wall.

"Good Morning, Commander," Satori bowed.

As he neared, Itachi gave a small, regal nod in return. "How are you, Satori-San?"

"I'm well, thank you, would you be needing anything today?"

"My usual, please," He said, and lifted his head to Sakura when the doctor went to leave.

Satori craned his neck back and winked as he walked away. "See you later, Lady Consultant,"

Sakura waved humbly in return, feeling the idea of being head of her own hospital somewhat daunting. The thought hadn't resurfaced to trouble her since last night. She turned fully to Itachi, and let her hand slip from the wall.

Sakura observed as Itachi watched the movement, the glint in his gazing eyes seemed quizzical and appraising, though there wasn't much else to brighten their beautiful darkness. His eyes lingered on her hand moments before sliding up towards her face.

"I trust Yuugao showed you the apartment?" He asked, and his deep voice echoed off the cavernous walls.

"Yes," Sakura said. "She did, and thank you- it's really beautiful, better than my apartment back in Konoha,"

Itachi nods in agreement, though an invisible weight seemed bolted on his slim shoulders. "This is a place better than most,"

_And in some ways __**worse **__than most?_ The words danced on her lips, but she felt no reason to voice them. They wouldn't do, not at this moment in time.

Awkwardly, Sakura averted her gaze and glanced over her shoulder back towards the blackened walls.

"Have you-" Sakura turns back, and Itachi is barely centimetres from touching her, his body almost flush with hers. His speed was so subtle, the kunoichi faltered.

Itachi continues to watch her, his head standing only a couple of inches higher than her own. She was all too aware of his heated body, the strength of his stance. She shudders from watching the subtle rise of his chest and softness of his breath upon her cheek. He smelt of outside; of nature, as if he'd been rolling in grass or dry autumn leaves.

"Hey-!" Sakura said, startled, the coldness of the wall against her back.

He looked down at her, his eyes as blank as a starless night sky.

With their proximity and aloneness, Sakura noticed something about the Uchiha, something that only the plain walls and encompassing silence of the long, empty rooms could have highlighted. Itachi was cold, his apathy and mystery quickly making her uncomfortable. His eyes may gleam, but the burning of their true emotion was seldom revealed to any. His eyes were pebbles; shiny but devoid of life or expression. He made her feel fragile, brittle, as if she were nothing more than a hollow statue carved in the clearest glass. It was as if nothing could faze him; nothing could destroy him.

He was surrounded in a mist of invincibility, an air invisible to him but blatant and gossamer to others. Itachi was much like his brother, distant, beautiful, and tinged with the arrogance of an esteemed bloodline. Itachi's character, however, was so much more pronounced, much more obvious. Sasuke was at least able to resemble the human species to a reasonable extent.

Recalling his eyes, Sakura thought it an understandable arrogance, at least.

"I was told you specialise in chakra," He stated, eyes averting to the dark wall. "Tell me… what do you _see_ on those walls?"

"I…" Sakura began, and she turned back to the charred stone. "I see the effects of a high-level katon-jutsu, Commander,"

Itachi nodded, gaze still roaming the rooms. "In the physical sense you are correct…" He looks back to her. "But what else do you see?"

Redness floods to Sakura's face, and lump closes her throat. Why did he ask her these questions? It seemed so difficult to answer and she couldn't understand why. The moments passed, and she grew more confused by her hesitation.

"What does it really mean?"Itachi waited for her answer, his face calm and patient. "You see more than you let on; it's making you anxious."

_How can he read people so well? _It was like he could peer into a person's soul, could rip all their personal boundaries and leave them naked and vulnerable. How could someone so beautiful be so… _frightening? _His words were said with conviction, with an absolute assurance that could have been aggressive were it not for the smoothness of his voice. He was testing her, studying her.

"I see… I see…"

She turns back to the wall and touches the damage.

"… War,"

* * *

"I see…" She paused, and Itachi listened to how her voice changed with interest. "I see… War,"

He smirks darkly at the girl's words. She feels the storm brewing, the thunder clouds churning and soon to unleash itself. Her face was turned from him now, but he had already seen the fear and the shock drag her mood to the ground. He had seen the realisation as plainly as the Sun's glow through the clouds.

"Yes… You are wise to see that," He says, the resolution clear in his voice. It would be good to hope only the opposite, but he knew the bloody outcome was inevitable. In this respect, he saw it unnecessary to provide any happier prospects for the kunoichi. It was important she knew, after all. There would be no pretences here. "For the past year relations with Mist have soured. I doubt the Godaime informed you of much…"

"She told me things… but I had no idea of the situation here, no idea of _this,_" Sakura replied, turning herself back towards him. Determination glittered in her bright eyes. "Thank you for telling me,"

"There is no need to thank me," Itachi chuckled darkly, "You needed to realise the severity of the situation. This hospital is very important; it's the Eastern Base's second HQ. It can also act as a fortress, and has been designed as such. All medical and food supplies are stored here. This building in many ways is more important than the main HQ,"

"Yes," Sakura nodded. "I understand,"

"In this building, you are second in command to me. You are a highly ranked officer within the premises of Eastern, hence why your quatres are amongst the official's," Itachi continued. "It is your responsibility,"

"Yes, Commander,"

Itachi nodded in response to her fiery eyes, and turned on his heels, the movement encouraging her to follow him. Together, they walked side-by-side towards the reception. Both walked in silence for a while, their feet making the only sounds as they steeped along the deep corridors. His head remained forward, and he did not look down despite her occasional, coy, curious glances.

"Have you eaten?" He asked, as they reached the quiet reception. Outside, more ninja mobilised in the courtyard, their voices clear beyond the glass.

"No…"

"There is a kitchen on the floor of your office," He said, and asked on an afterthought, "Has Satori shown you your quarters yet?"

Sakura shook her head. "He has shown me the main wards on this floor, and the damaged wards,"

Itachi mulled over this. He might as well show her the remainder of the hospital, seeing as it would be a while until the morning mission reports would emerge. He had not eaten either, and would need to do so before taking the medicine.

"I will take you instead, then,"

Itachi took her about the other three floors, all the while watching as she took in the information with quiet resoluteness. She asked questions only when needed, and was perfectly mannered, perfectly poised despite a slight nervousness he felt surrounding her. He observed Sakura with enthusiasm, and admired the girl's apparent love of learning. Her bedside manner with the patients they encountered was perfect, her mastery over the sick and wounded flawless.

He decided she was well suited to her position, and was confident in her abilities. She seemed too pleasant to be anything but a doctor, yet Sasuke's letters often described her in the opposite light. There was always a reserved respect when he wrote about her, a careful respect; the shock he and his other teammates felt when Sakura had pummelled a small fissure into the ground the first time Team Seven reunited; the time when she had punched a man with a chakra-laden fist, his skull caved in and turned to mush as he smashed to the floor. According to his younger brother, Sakura had spliced shinobi to pieces internally in a matter of short, fleeting seconds.

Examining her behaviour now, Itachi was quite unable to envision these acts of power and violence from the medic-nin. With that said, there were still many deceptions, many surprises and odd occurrences within the shinobi world. Everyone was a walking, breathing paradox. Each person within the profession was propelled into a world of endless violence, a world of endless survival balanced on a precarious knife-edge. In the heat of battle, people changed. That was nature; that was instinct.

The pair moved on, as Itachi wanted Sakura to be settled in before the rush of outpatients and staff converged on the hospital. They had met a few other employed here, and Itachi was pleased by how accommodating his medics were to the new Consultant. As usual, all treated him with the utmost respect.

"Good morning, Commander," They would say robotically, and he would nod back in return, all in the same fashion. The repetition was almost too moronic for even his patience, but Itachi remained as professional as always. They were only doing what was expected of them.

All the same, it made him so drained. He'd much rather be alone.

"This way, Sakura-San," He said, and motioned for Sakura to follow him up another flight of stairs. She followed, face rather elated from all the new faces she'd met. Her expression was charming, and her walk confident. It made her more exciting to look at, and Itachi allowed his eyes to wander over parts of her body he'd previously ignored.

Sakura didn't notice, though a sly part of him wanted to see what she'd do if she did.

They emerged onto the fourth floor, _her _floor, in many respects. Itachi indicated her office, and the offices of the other senior medics she'd be working with. There was another couple wards on the other side, but both were really too peckish to be bothered with them. Sakura could wander over there later.

They stepped into the kitchen, and Itachi noted Sakura's appraisal of the room. It was large, spacious, and held numerous soft chairs and a couple of dining tables. The wide windows revealed the ocean in all its glory and splendour, much like the window to her bedroom.

"Uchiha-Sama, this place is remarkable," Sakura gleamed, battling through the caution she felt towards him with her renewed excitement. "It's so beautiful,"

Itachi too admired the view from the window. The scene truly was remarkable, the colours transcendent with the dazzling light harpooning through the pale clouds like fiery arrows burning upon the water's silken surface. It was nothing less than serene, bewitching, and he watched how her expression softened, how her appreciation for the morning light held no pretence. Here, in this light, she was nothing but a pleasure to look at.

"Would you like some coffee?" He offered, walking towards the kitchen part of the room.

It took a moment for Sakura to realise he was speaking to her. "Oh- um, yes please,"

"Milk?"

"Only a little, thank you,"

Itachi took the kettle and filled it with water from the sink, all the while keeping his calm watch on the bemusing kunoichi. She really was quite extraordinary to look at, with the glistening hair than begged to be smoothed and caressed, the pink an enticing contrast to the blackness of her jounin shirt, and her delicate pallor. Her body was attractive, lithe and strong, yet supple and most probably yielding beneath stroking fingers. He wondered why Sasuke hadn't made a move on her already, or perhaps he had? Who knew? If anything had happened, it was certainly not included in those letters. He kept prying and wondering, his temptation to ask her so amusing.

"What is it like here in the winter?" Sakura asks, and the kettle boils.

"Pleasant," Itachi replies tonelessly. "The temperature is comfortable, but sometimes the wind off the sea can be irritating,"

"Can it be strong?"

"Yes, though it's only a nuisance in the first couple of weeks in November," Itachi pours one teaspoon full of instant coffee into each mug. "At that time, the coast is plagued with shipwrecks, and the problem with Wreckers becomes worse,"

"What do you mean by "Wreckers"?" Sakura asks, head still facing the ocean.

"They are groups of people who destroy the beacons that indicate the location of the rocks to ships at night," He's uses the spoon to dissolve the coffee. "The ships crash into the cliffs, the Crewes murdered, and the valuables looted. They're usually commoners, though some rogue shinobi can be mixed into the proceedings,"

Sakura glances back slightly perplexed. "Surely you don't get many?"

"You'd be surprised. Many seem to think it worth the risk. That said, this is a very large area to patrol," Itachi moves round to where Sakura stands and hands her the coffee.

"Thank you. Don't you have outlets along the coast?"

"Yes, but they are few in number," He replies. "And the main bulk of our forces are situated here, where we can see _them,_"

Sakura follows his insinuation to the island across the sea. She seems to mull this over, though her suspicions aren't suppressed. Steaming vapour from the coffee fills the space between the two, and Itachi watches her from above the rim of his mug.

"You are annoyed," He stated. "Does it anger you that much?"

"I was thinking it's a shame that this place will not be as calm as it is now..." Sakura sighs. "I think you are correct, this situation can only get worse,"

Itachi smiles, solemnly, and for some reason he doesn't mind her seeing him like this. She was so confident, he could not intimidate her like he did others. She was too used to Sasuke.

"Are you pessimistic only because I am?" He questioned, watching her, his eyes tracing every

He observed her face, the thought crossing her brow. "No... Not really,"

Her voice went dead, and her head hang in consideration. Sakura seemed to be focused on something, like an imaginary spot between her feet.

"I think..." She began, "My Shishou, Lady Hokage, had already mentioned our predicament. And, as you already know all there is to know sir, you cannot be aware of the rumours circling around your own courtyard. You do not know the stories told in the centre of Konoha,"

Itachi considered her. She implied he was out of touch with his soldiers, although she may have had a point.

"Sakura-San, you have not been here an entire day and yet you already imply you know what my soldiers discuss- but what you claim would make sense. They have indeed seen the fringes of war," He stated, and drew closer to his new interest, this girl who spoke to him as confidently as any other female family member would.

"Why don't you stress the situation to Tsunade-Sama?" The girl, barely a woman, suggested.

His eyes shot to hers. "The current situation hardly merits such an action,"

Sakura appeared put off by his dismissive words, and she opened her mouth to rebuke him.

"Sakura-San," He said, adding a warning to his smooth, constructed voice. "It is not your decision."

"I know that..." She said, suddenly realising that she had indeed forgotten herself. She turned her gaze away, biting her tongue to admonish herself. This reaction was only clear to Itachi as he watched her jaw clench and her eyes wince from the sting.

"There is little anyone can do..." Itachi stated. "Send ambassadors? Perhaps that would be a viable option, but it would more likely end with their heads on the end of stakes,"

Sakura swivelled back round, her eyes alight. Itachi now lent against the kitchen counter top, his tired gaze hopping back and forth from Sakura to the sea view.

"What makes you think they are so savage?"

"Think?" Itachi scoffed. "I do not think it would happen, I know it would happen. I have _seen _the decapitated heads watching open-eyed and gormless from their spikes. I have seen the Mist shinobi spit and jest as they swan past the heads of the deceased,"

Even for a kunoichi, a woman of whom is raised in the midst of violence, this was not a pleasant thought. Even as a medic-nin, this tale would have curdled breakfast lining her stomach. Just imagining the stench was unbearable.

"And," Itachi continued, " I know it would happen because Mist _want _a war. They are the antagonizers, they want blood and destruction,"

Sakura stood speechless. She clearly knew not what to say. There was very little anyone could say in response to that. In the moments of silence, Itachi finished his coffee, regarding her the entire time, awaiting an answer the entire time. He was surprised to find Sakura's face could become as stoic as his own, that she could form a visage of stone. Itachi then realised this was most probably due to the fact she was attempting to draw a conclusion from everything he told her.

Then, angrily, Sakura's face scrunched into an angry glare. "But why?"

Her question sounded too much like a demand. The Uchiha Commander narrowed his eyes in consideration, noting how fun her feisty, questioning personality could also become a sort of hindrance in the future.

When Itachi did not answer her straight away, this made Sakura's brow furrow even deeper, and her expression more aggravated.

"I don't understand," She huffed.

"Sakura-San..." Itachi said quietly, as if he were musing to himself. "I'm sure if _anyone _could understand then we would not be in this predicament,"

The kunoichi surveyed him from under her dark eyelashes, calming herself down as she realised that there truly was nothing to be done. War seemed inevitable.

"Anyway," Itachi hastily changed the subject, "I wanted to ask you about my brother,"

"Sasuke-Kun?"

Itachi nodded. He scrutinised her face with the utmost intensity as she scanned his own, searching for his meaning. To Itachi, she seemed naturally suspicious.

"What about him?"

"... How is he?"

Sakura licked her lips awkwardly. Her eyes darted around the room, as if she were seeking an escape route, but then resolutely shrugged her shoulders and laughed softly.

"Probably hungover," She chuckled. "Like most mornings,"

_Hungover? _Itachi laughed inwardly at the idea. He had seen Sasuke once, at a festival, over five years ago when his younger brother was at the height of adolescence. It was the night of Tsunade's inauguration. As she was sworn into the position of Godaime in front of anyone who mattered, the rest of the village got absolutely plastered. He himself was off his face, aged nineteen and steadily moving up the ranks of Eastern. It was the last time he had properly visited his family.

Sasuke and Naruto (of whom his parents- much more Fugaku than his mother) did not particularly approve of because of the Uchiha-Kyuubi affiliation, had nabbed whatever booze they could acquire and hid from view until they were both too drunk to care about breaking the law. Never had Itachi and Sasuke stood and laughed so much as when they ran into each other. The elder had poked the younger in the forehead, watching him wobble uncontrollably, and thus ensuring a brief, brotherly scuffle in the crowded Konoha streets.

It was one of Itachi's fonder memories of his home town.

* * *

Sakura watches him ponder, and how his eyes glaze over as he entered a reverie. His mouth twitches into a small smile and she wonders what he was thinking.

_He's probably thinking of a drunken Sasuke... _And Sakura had to admit, the image was amusing, for a drunken Sasuke means a funny Sasuke.

"He goes out quite a lot now," She continued. "He always tries to out-drink Naruto, but that's just not possible... he never gives up,"

"Can you out-drink them?" Itachi asked, knowing too well what she could do to hinder the effects of alcohol.

Sakura grinned slyly. "Yeah... I've don't _that _but Naruto sobers up quickly anyway, whilst Sasuke usually just falls flat on his face,"

Itachi shook his head, feigning disgust, but secretly wondered whether he could drink his little brother under the table too. It certainly didn't seem difficult.

* * *

"Sakura-San," Itachi said, after another mug of coffee, "It is time for me to leave, and you to learn about your hospital,"

_I have underestimated her. _Itachi smirked as he descended the stairways. _She has more spirit than I thought. She is more interesting than Sasuke had described.  
_

He had asked her about further incidents where Sasuke had failed to out-drink Naruto, amused and pleasantly surprised to hear the sorts of endeavours his brother should have been divulging in his letters.

"He's stayed round our places so many times so he's not caught _too _drunk," Sakura described how she had woken up next to Itachi's younger brother, huddled close and hungover. "He did that especially when he was younger,"

It was here Itachi realised they were closer than he had originally assumed. Still, they seemed more like brother and sister than drunken lovers.

It would somewhat be natural and expected though, for they had basically grown up together, as a team forced to watch out for one another, and for what was once solely for the battlefield had now extended to the pub.

Itachi smiled wistfully once he was alone. Perhaps he should invite his younger brother to Eastern despite the coming challenges? If it did come to war, Itachi was sure Sasuke would be one of the first to assist anyway. It would be something he could meditate on later.

For the moment, those thoughts were tossed aside, seeing as there were more urgent matters to attend to. Itachi slipped outside into the courtyard, the hustle and bustle had begun. Ninja stood awaiting approval to depart on their rounds, whilst others returned from their nightly duties and made their way towards the dining hall. All saluted as he passed.

He stepped towards the HQ, but one of the message interpreters found him on the way.

"Sir," He bowed, holding a folded note, then rose. "Urgent report from Konohagakure,"

Itachi nodded, taking the note. He flipped it open.

It was a message, reading to him specifically, an S-Rank mission of which he was obliged to take that very day.

* * *

The day was long, but Sakura was in her element. The patients were few, but those who lay stricken in their beds were many.

Injuries inflicted from the attack a few nights ago, as it seemed, were in abundance.

She grew acquainted with the other members of staff, and was impressed with their efficiency.

All through her shift Sakura recalled her conversation with Itachi. She had not been entirely truthful, for although she had stressed her and Sasuke's relationship to be purely platonic, that wasn't always the case. At sixteen, Sasuke began watching her differently. The glint in his dark eyes followed her, their glare intense and heavily predatory. This had excited her to say the least, despite the fact that Sakura had no idea how to act upon such attentions. He seemed unsure of what to do as well, and there had been a time when the atmosphere was so thick one could have sliced it clean with a knife. However, he had obviously become tired of his inhibitions,and called round her house one day completely out of the blue. This spontaneity was highly unusual, as Sasuke vastly preferred organisation.

He had watched her that day like he wanted to eat her, and Sakura had been so confused she was left open for the kill.

"Hi," He had said at the door, never letting his eyes leave her own. Sakura understood how her actions had been awkward, and her nervousness failed to lessen under such uncompromising ferocity. His eyes had wandered around the doorway, expectant and surprisingly calm for the given situation.

It had been a fuss about nothing, in truth. Never in her life life had Sakura seen Uchiha Sasuke so wound-up. Her parents weren't home, and she was quite sure he was hoping for this.

"Hey... coming in?" That had been a terribly ironic phrase to say with hindsight, and Sakura always found it funny in the years that followed.

He wasted no time. The minute the door was closed and her back was turned as she lead him to the kitchen, Sasuke nabbed her attention. For two so young and inexperienced at the time, it was a wonder they had even made it to her bedroom without nerves breaking either of them. Although Sasuke had shown no outward signs of anxiety, Sakura couldn't miss his heavy panting, nor the thundering heart against his ribcage that revealed so much.

The memories were dulled by the passing of time, but Sakura could still remember much of her small tryst with Sasuke all those years ago. It was certainly his first time as well as hers, with his kisses either awkward or bruising, and his obvious lack of stamina due to the shock of such a different sensation. She had enjoyed his skin against hers, soft yet as solid as stone. He had kissed and touched her in ways that made her whimper and moan, despite being sloppy and somewhat confused at what-was-what. When he slipped inside her, he had shuddered with pleasure, just as she had shuddered with pain, clinging to him, the clarity of her voice lessening as he thrust, and thrust, and thrust, panting as his open lips ghosted against her throat and his sweat had mingled with her own.

He had been a little apologetic afterwards, as tenderness was something Sasuke had struggled with. He saw her a couple of times after that, but both decided it could not continue. They drew this conclusion for many reasons, but the main, as Sakura would understand later, was their lack of emotional maturity.

There had been another occasion, not all that long ago, when he had spent a legless night at her flat. Both were drunk and decidedly wanton for another's body. They had matured significantly, emotionally and physically. Instead of shuddering with pain, Sakura shuddered in pleasure alongside her childhood friend, and both were bolder in their and better versed actions, even though they were drunk beyond belief. When they awoke, neither complained or found the situation particularly uncomfortable. Sasuke had quietly sipped his coffee and rubbed his forehead as he scanned the morning paper, just as he did most days when he was hungover. When Sakura had left the room to take a shower, he had followed after a couple of minutes of deliberation.

That had been the last time she and Sasuke had had sex. And it was strange, for within the days and the months and the year that followed, both seemed to walk together with a natural stride, both accepting that what happened had happened. No awkwardness shrouded their team, they were both careful not to reveal anything. As far as they were concerned, nobody else knew about the affair, and not even Naruto nor Kakashi could have detected anything.

She had wondered about whether they would be good together, but Sakura knew that such a drastic change could have swung either way. It may have ended well, or it could have ended in discord. Secretly, she was curious as to whether Sasuke had any such thoughts that paralleled her own.

_After all, _She mused, _he had always been the instigator. _

Sakura bit into her apple, wincing slightly at its sharpness.

_We did well to hide that scent... _She let her mind wander, her thoughts still dwelling in the past even at lunchtime.

It was here she bumped into Shizuka, fresh from a patrolling mission. Sakura wrenched herself from thinking about how the other woman's young cousin had matured well in the bedroom, and learnt from the female Uchiha that Itachi had made her Head Field-Medic, which was a plus on Sakura's side of paperwork and organisation.

"He knows me well enough to know I can't handle being locked up," She'd said, with a smile on her perfectly formed face. "You have a patience I envy,"

"Not without coffee, I don't," Sakura grinned back, and thought the observation ironic, remembering the many times her patience (even coffee-ladened patience) had swayed in the presence of Uzumaki Naruto.

The afternoon was pleasant, and she saw mainly outpatients. Many of the male shinobi commented on how much of an improvement she was on the previous consultant.

"Nah, he can't beat _your _bedside manner, Dr. Haruno," Sakura took these remarks with a pinch of salt, but they added to her enjoyment of the day.

Later in the evening, it was to her surprise that Satori came knocking, asking a favour.

"Dr. Haruno?" He called, with a knock.

"Yes, Dr. Hirose?"

He stepped through the door, a bottle of tablets in hand.

He bowed, and then began. " The Commander asked me to make this prescription, I was wondering if you'd be able to pass them on?"

"Shouldn't he be in the office at the HQ?" Sakura asked, filing through the heaps of paperwork.

"I've enquired, and found he's on a mission, though should be back in few hours. Your quarters, I understand, are only a few doors down from his,"

"Oh, I see… then yes, I can take them to him, thank you,"

Satori set the bottle on the desk, bowed, and bid her goodnight.

Now alone, and beginning to tire, Sakura figured she would call it a night in an hour or so. She would not need to wake so early the next day, but was still exhausted from the late night before. Hopefully her belongings would have arrived, they were later than Yuugao had lead her to believe, but ah well; at least she had a lovely soft bed.

Sakura then realised that Itachi had not mentioned he was only along the corridor, and was quite at a loss to whether she found that comforting or rather disconcerting.

* * *

It would have been more logical to take a full troop; there were plenty of perfectly able shinobi to accompany him. However, Itachi always preferred to go on these missions alone.

Now clad in ANBU uniform, Itachi looked far more imposing. A sleek soldier encased in armor and armed to the teeth.

The sky had darkened entirely, and the mission had been successful. He had carried out many assassinations over the years, and this had been one of the smoothest yet. The hit was against a tyrannical merchant, wanting to be eradicated by another tyrannical merchant with more money than sense, or so that is how Itachi perceived it. There had been very little to confront him on the way, and now the merchant's head swung in a thick canvas bag carried in Itachi's left hand. Blood stained the bottom and droplets dripped to the forest floor as he sped through the trees.

He quickly entered into the courtyard, and deposited the head in the morgue underneath the HQ. The head would be washed and frozen, ready to be used as evidence to the contractor. It was indeed a seedy business, and although he'd become quite accustomed to it, Itachi never felt entirely comfortable.

A throb began in his crown, though it never showed on his face. He hoped his medicine was ready, needing it now more than this morning. The pain attacks had become worse over the past couple of months, probably incited by the growing tensions between Kirigakure and his home.

A war- a true _War-_ would not do, and Itachi dreaded the day it would reveal its ugly head.

Pinching the bridge of his nose, Itachi then proceeded up towards his quarters, wanton for sleep. It seemed a struggle up the stairs, but his body was resilient, composed and disciplined.

Coming upon the corridor, he traipsed to his room, and began unlocking the door before noticing a familiar-looking bottle outside the door. A note was attached to the neck. He bent to pick it up, and took the note.

"_See me tomorrow,"_ It said. _"Haruno Sakura" _

Itachi's eyebrows lifted, and a smirk spread across his fine, tired face. Having put it like that how could he possibly refuse?

* * *

Thanks for readings, thanks for reviewing.

Oh and yeah, Yuugao makes her first appearance in chapter 137 :)


	4. Better than Medicine

Revised: 10/02/09

Mistakes should have been altered.

"If every everyone were clothed with integrity, if every heart were just, frank, kindly the other virtues would be well-night useless, since their chief purpose is to make us bare with the patience of injustice of our fellows. "-

_**Moliere.**_

"Patience is the companion of wisdom."-

_**Saint Augustine.**_

* * *

_**Chasing the Moon **_

_**Chapter Four- Better than Medicine**_

**

* * *

**

At twenty-four, Uchiha Itachi could not remember a time when he had slept soundly through a long, banal night. Though his eyes are closed, he is far from sleep's sweet clutches. He was unable to shake off the thoughts of the day, all the problems only he could solve. Exhaustion plagued him, followed him about like a persistent little dog snapping at his ankles.

The beast never relented.

Years of training had brought this. When he was young, war still raged through the Five Countries. Times were both harsher and crueler than he could ever recall. Children ceased being children, and at the tender age of four Itachi was conditioned to never crave sleep, to always turn a blind eye to the pains and agonies this deprivation caused.

In this way, he could never become peaceful, could never let the night encompass him like a rolling, midnight wave of the nearby sea. He doubted he would ever have the mercy of slipping into a peaceful sleep. Even if drowning, his body would not let him wash away; he would be acutely aware to the last dying brain cell, and feel his demise consume and crush him.

At times like this, Itachi was tempted to leave his room and make his way to the canteen that turned into a bar in these unearthly hours. But his personality failed him, caged him, for Itachi was the type of person much lonelier in a crowd than on his own.

* * *

Sakura sat on her long white sofa, thoughts ablaze, the inner-cogs of her mind turning and grinding as the moon waltzed through the jewel studded sky.

_No wonder he always looks so tired, _She thinks, as she skims through the ingredients she had copied from the bottle of Itachi's medication. It was rude, and quite a nosy thing to do, but she was already well aware of that, and, to be frank, didn't really care. _How long has he been taking these things?_

To a no-nonsense medic like Sakura, directly _healing _a problem-area was the preferred option to any long, drawn-out prescriptions. They were addictive, basically ineffective after prolonged used, and ultimately damaging if used excessively. She hoped that Itachi would come to see her, for Sakura was not the type of person who could take a blind eye to something so harmful in the long run.

These drugs could always be replaced by a better alternative, and that was partly her reason of being; as a medic, she was naturally more caring than most. Although there were obvious exceptions to this rule, this was something definitely shared by most in her profession.

She was tired, but not in a way that needed the rejuvenation of sleep. She knew that placing her head on those fluffy white pillows and hoping for sleep to come would be futile. It was a type of insomnia she could do without for the moment, but at least it would allow her the time to start something new.

Taking a pen and paper, she began to write voraciously. The letters she intended to write were many, and the first completed was for her parents. The second was to her second mother and mentor, Tsunade, and the third to Kakashi. The fourth and final letter was addressed to both Naruto and Sasuke. To each her tone was different, and some specific details were omitted in certain people's letters, but they each contained similar material.

She told them of her room, her promotion, the people, the beauty of the Campus and how its concrete bulk was so well hidden in the tall meridian canopies. She told them of how the birds sang, and of the mesmerising smell of a freshly cooked breakfast wafting through the dewy morning courtyard.

Sakura had hardly noticed the lonely hours tick by, and was thankful. It was early morning when she had finally finished every letter, and the darkness of the surrounding night was at its pinnacle, its deepest yet. Through the window she could see the moon had traversed the obsidian sky; its silvery reflection was no longer tattooed atop the sea's silken surface, and now only the brilliant stars danced above its vastness.

Writing those letters settled her, and she felt quietly peaceful; not a sound reached her ears, not even the ticking clock. She was grateful for this small inobservance.

Although, that said, Sakura had seldom felt so bitterly lonely. She had only begun to feel the first signs of homesickness. The letters had helped, but had not quite eradicated her anxiety.

She did not focus on these thoughts for long; she was much better at controlling her emotions now than at twelve, sixteen, or even eighteen. It was not helpful for anyone if she were to become consumed by that sort of pain.

Batting those dreadful thoughts away, Sakura decided she would focus on the positive. Closing her eyes, she lay in a state of blissful meditation, her thoughts ebbing away until all that entered her mind was the melodic roll of the calm, soothing ocean. She imagined the waves encircling her, tossing her to and fro as they waged their lunar cycle. Sakura imagined she could breathe like a fish, and was impervious to the icy water like a blubbery seal.

It was like a protective cloak, shielding her from the storms of the skies above and the wars of the land. She thought that being carried by those gentle waves must be the best feeling in the entire world.

* * *

Itachi glances somewhat disapprovingly at the smouldering morning sky; pewter clouds from the South threatened rain, though he was not entirely sure whether his prediction would be correct. That said, he recalled that it was not uncommon to have the odd shower in these summer months… At least it would keep the grass long and luscious for the weeks to come.

Itachi was not a fan of the rain; he disliked how it persisted in making everything it dampened icy cold, how it made his clothes heavy and cling to his body like a second skin. It was a hindrance, and simply quite off-putting, casing his loose hair to stick to his face. Nevertheless, it would not defeat him; he would endure it, like every other challenge thrown at his feet.

But he could not deny that the thought depressed him, and set him in a generally bad mood. Deciding he had spent long enough brooding on the coastal edge, Itachi moved to leave. The sunrays crept along his back like enticing, teasing fingers, wanton for him to stay. Itachi would be lying to say the thought had not crossed his mind, just as it did every morning.

The heat waves were severed when he entered the foliage, and the cracking of twigs beneath his feet betrayed his location and their pathway.

It was here, in this quiet, dense forest, that something sparked within Itachi's heightened intuition.

He realised he was not alone.

Itachi bristled like a cat ready to pounce; his hands were high and prepared like unsheathed claws. He had always felt there was something powerfully animalistic in the way shinobi fought; their movements were lucid like a feline's, and their bite as crushing as a wolf's mighty jaws.

A twinge of chakra enforced his suspicions.

Itachi's eyes stayed put, and he did not unveil his sharingan. Instead, he let his chakra leak, an unfriendly warning to whoever dared survey him without his knowledge.

It was a beckoning, but the intruder did not stir. They did not even raise their own chakra in response. It was an odd, impassive gesture, and Itachi did not like it one single bit.

Moments passed, and birds began to shriek up high above the shadowy canopies. Itachi still did not move. Instead, he listened and waited, calculating the best options available.

But then, as swiftly as he'd come, the intruder was moving away. Whoever it was slunk back into the undergrowth and their chakra whittled down to nothing, until all Itachi could sense was his own swollen life force, angry and sinister.

_I should follow them, _He decided, yet he did not. He was unable to answer why. He could not justify himself, except that he had a sneaking suspicion that something new and dangerous was dawning. It would be something unavoidable.

* * *

Sakura smothered her charred toast with an appalling amount of strawberry jam, and took an unsightly bite. It was like sweetened ash. Cooking, even simple toast was not Sakura's strong point.

_Ah well, at least the coffee's good. _At the moment, that was all that seemed to matter to Sakura. She had not slept a wink, yet was surprisingly chipper and alert. She would have to be careful not to drink too much coffee, as nothing seemed more unprofessional than trembling from a caffeine overdose. She had sent her letters to be posted as soon as she left the flat, and was already feeling anxious to hear from everyone.

As she poured another steamy, aromatic cup, a knock rapped on her door.

"Who is it?" She calls, voice still a little groggy.

"Uchiha Itachi,"

Sakura blinks slightly dumbfounded before verbally allowing her commander entrance.

Itachi steps through the threshold, and Sakura notices that he is paler than usual. He seems tired and heavy-stepped. He was still incredibly gorgeous, but that was beside the point. With all her thoughts of Sasuke, panting, sweating and naked, on top and below her, Sakura had to shake her head as her senior officer swept into the room.

Instead, Sakura inwardly noted his behaviour and attached all his symptoms to his evident prescription-dependence.

"Good morning," He says, tonelessly and fixes her with a particularly sharpened gaze with contrastingly inanimate eyes.

"Good morning, sir," She replies and grasps another coffee mug from behind her. She turns back and Itachi gives her a simple nod as he seats himself opposite her in the comfy leather chair.

Sakura pours him a cup, and all the while she feels his stare spear through her and dismantle her safeguards. He didn't appear to be in a very good mood. His power seems to clog the room, suffocating her. Despite his evident fatigue, Sakura marvels at how his whole demeanour seemed so regal, and yet so natural. This power intimidated Sakura. His devilish good looks did nothing to help Sakura's inner struggle.

He was simply amazing to look at, and so difficult to impress. It made her feel tense, defensive.

"How was the night report?" He asks, casually taking the cup of coffee from the desk and remains standing.

"Not that eventful," Sakura says, unfurling some notes. "Though, there was one disturbance; a cardiac arrest at 02:35. The problem was resolved. The particulars are here," Sakura handed Itachi the notes, and he skimmed over them with mild interest.

"Good," He announced after a few minutes of reading. "No deaths is a vast improvement,"

"The medical staff at present very impressive, nice people as well,"

"Yes," Itachi glances at her approvingly. "They are,"

Itachi flicks through the broader sheets, eyes scanning the lists of words and symbols and numbers. He took the information in, word from word, instantly, like a machine.

"It may turn noisier later this afternoon- more reparations need to be made to the damaged Wing," He announced.

Sakura's gaze fixed on his form looming above her. The morning sunlight from the window behind her paled his complexion, causing his face to emit a gorgeously porcelain glow that seemed far too ethereal to be of this crude, mortal world.

"That's fine. I'll send out a bulletin now,"

Itachi nods, though his eyes appear distracted.

Sakura watched him curiously. "Is there anything else you wished to discuss, sir?"

"Yes," He says and rolls his gaze to hers. " There are a couple of matters… But at the moment I'm more interested in what the message last night refers to,"

His brashness startles Sakura. He notices her reaction, and something slightly more vibrant lights his plainly impassive eyes. The sight stops Sakura like a hard bite at the throat.

"Yes," She smiles, though her voice remains serious. " I want to talk to you about your pills,"

"What about them?" He seems slightly amused.

Sakura leans forward slightly, her hands clasping together as she forms her argument.

"Please, sir... Don't think I'm intruding on your personal business, but I know of better ways to deal with these matters than the pills you take. They are not the best way to cope with exhaustion, sir. Those tablets are created from the basest forms of the majority of hard amphetamines. They're worse than soldier pills. The toll they take on your body could be highly detrimental to your over-all well-being," She sips her coffee, trying to strike a balance between casual and formal address. "They're essentially like taking Speed, see, or taking vast amounts of caffeine. If you want something that enhances focus then take Ritalin. As you're most probably aware, they take your body, from the lows of exhaustion to the heights of awareness. They don't allow your body to recover, or to keep a consistent energy level," She said, leaning back in her chair and clasping her hands together just under her breasts in a doctoral-fashion. "Your body clock must be shattered- I don't understand how you can even _function_…"

"I _function_ because it's my duty to _function_," Itachi interrupts matter-of-factly. Sakura found so little in his face as she laid her analysis bare. "This job is tiresome, I will admit that, but this place is my responsibility, and yes, you _did _intrude on my personal business,"

"Yeah, sorry about that, but-"

"You know _better?" _Itachi's eyes narrowed, and Sakura knew this well enough to allude to his bad mood.

Sakura gulped, and reddened slightly, but still carried on.

"Sir... What I mean is, why not split some of that responsibility? It's clear that the work load is ridiculous. It's like you've become a second Hokage- and in all fairness, I think you worked longer hours than _the_ Hokage… or anyone else in Konoha, for that matter,"

"I cannot _split _the responsibility because monitoring hordes of other people would only serve to generate more work. If I do it myself, then there is only one person accountable if something were to go wrong. If there was more than one, then that could lead the way for a massively damaging blame-culture," He said severely. "I should rather not be a part of that,"

"But Uchiha-Taichou, please understand… this amount of pressure _will kill you_, or force you into early retirement!" Sakura couldn't help but become a little frustrated. Even if he was amazing and all, surely he didn't know more about these matters than her? "You need to seek other methods, sir,"

"What I need to do is my duty. This method allows me to do just that, and more," Itachi's arms crossed resolutely. "I trust Dr. Hirose's professional opinion,"

"Well, perhaps you should trust _my _professional opinion as well," She answered finally, in a tone that quite obviously amused her superior. "The way you're treating yourself is borderline-masochistic,"

"Haruno-San," Itachi said, strangely amused. "To speak to me like this… You haven't even known me week,"

"It's my _duty_ to inform you, sir,"

A cold silence fell flat in the space between them like a wall of ice. Itachi's eyes narrowed like a cat's and watched the young kunoichi with a sharply inexorable glare, as if challenging her to a staring competition.

Sakura felt a slither of intimidation slide up her spine, but chose to stand her ground.

This reaction only served to make Itachi's eyes narrow further.

_Oh. Oh God… _Were Sakura's thoughts. Perhaps she _had _over-stepped a boundary. He was watching her with fire in his bottomless eyes. _Oh… fuck…shit… _That said, she couldn't help be fascinated; this was the most amount of expression she'd ever seen in the captain. The anger (or perhaps, Sakura would later note, this surprise) caused by her _audacity _was startling. But what was more startling at that moment for the young woman, was how much more he resembled his brother. That tiny twinge of annoyance and the cat-like slits of narrowed eyes were identical to Sasuke's own little habits, and this endeared Sakura to her superior more than ever.

Having humanised the striking man, Sakura found him easier to approach; she began imagine she talking to Sasuke. She began to see the familiarities opposed to the differences. It was surprising how much that thought soothed her disposition.

Sakura relaxed in her chair, all the tension melting away. Slyly, she smirked.

"I can prescribe something _better _than medicine, sir," She stated, and was pleased by her unwavering confidence.

Only the slightest movement unhinged Itachi's face from its narrow glare. His eyebrows rose somewhat sceptically and a small frown appeared.

"Okay…" Sakura began, finding momentum. "A trial-run, then? If you stay away from those tablets for… two weeks, and I replace them with my own treatment, you can decide for yourself,"

Itachi's face didn't move; it was as if he were carved from stone.

"You can decide which method you prefer, sir,"

Then some curiosity graced his features, some meagre interest in her proposal, apparently.

"Well," Itachi cut through the silence, and seated himself on the opposite side of Sakura's desk. The chair legs screeched upon the hard floor. "That seems a reasonable proposal. What is your suggestion?"

"I suggest Reiki, sir," She said, sipping her freshly brewed coffee. "As a therapy. It will relax you, and my chakra would help replenish your own,"

"My chakra doesn't need replenishing,"

"Those pills, sir, have effected you in every way. Your chakra levels suffer because both your spiritual and physical energies have been… _corrupted,_"

Itachi considered her, and paused for a moment. "You truly believe this will help me?"

"I am confident that it will,"

"Then we shall see," He stated, still obviously sceptical of Sakura's abilities.

"I can assure you that I won't disappoint, sir,"

Itachi smiled to himself, and took a long silent gulp of coffee, and left it half-finished on the table.

"When will treatment start?"

"Tonight?"

"I will look into my schedule," Itachi replies, standing up. "I will inform you later,"

"Okay," Sakura says, a little muted, and bows her head as he reciprocates the gesture. "Good day, Uchiha-Taichou,"

"Good-bye," Itachi turns and leaves.

As the door clicks shut, Sakura breathes out a sigh of relief. Tension floats from the room like wafts of smoke escaping through a newly opened window, purifying the air. She reflects on her decision, and knows all too-well that becoming involved with such a man as Uchiha Itachi was a risky decision. But nothing can stop this now.

Inside, her wish to become closer to a man of whom resembled her dear Sasuke seemed but natural. He was the only source of familiarity she could cling onto. Slowly, loneliness had begun to creep over her like a deathly shadow, like the night clouds that obscured half a full moon. She missed her friends, her family.

She had met so many, but still felt she knew none.

Itachi was someone she could relate to in both the strangest and most logical ways. Sasuke was their common interest, and there were none too many who could claim such a connection. She could not help but dwell on these feelings, and allow them to influence her. For the moment, growing closer to Itachi appeared a logical step.

* * *

Uchiha Shizuka strode through the HQ, head held high like a Goddess. She smiled with those perfect lips at the cheeky glances thrown from every direction, and glided with the grace of a swan. Her beauty constituted her authority just as much as her lineage. Just as her skill and power was able to solidify her status. It was true that Shizuka had many great weapons hidden up her sleeve. If she had had more time to waste, she would have spent a couple of minutes broadening her already panoramic male horizons.

There were much more pressing matters to attend at present, and mores the pity.

Her steps brought her finally to the Commander's private office. Knocking at the door, she heard a muffled greeting. She wandered in, and tilted her head in confusion at the sight before her.

Yuugao, that young, pretty thing working as Itachi's secretary seemed to be down in the dumps, all blurry-eyed and miserable. Shizuka's face dropped. She was no fool, she guessed what had occurred.

"Afternoon, Uchiha-San," Yuugao smiled a pathetic little smile. She appeared to be packing a large black shoulder bag with a couple of personal items dotted around the room.

"Yuugao-San, what's wrong?" Shizuka said, in her best "worried" voice. She wandered towards the poor creature and gently clasped Yuugao's shoulders. She didn't care for her fellow kunoichi- not one bit, really- but she was never adverse to a bit of juicy gossip, even if it meant deviating from her natural persona more than usual. "Here- shall I brew some tea?"

Yuugao sniffed, and fought back her salty tears. She wavered her hand in a sorry way. "I'm fine, thank you,"

Shizuka continued with her worried countenance, "Are you sure? You don't seem fine to me, hun, what's the matter?"

Yuugao sniffed, and her eyes swivelled to Itachi's door. "He's dismissed me," She said in a hushed voice, though Shizuka highly doubted that would do any good. "Said I've been out of circulation too long- completely out of the blue, too!"

Shizuka's eyes perked, "Really? For fuck's sake… without any warning?"

The emotionally unbalanced woman nodded feebly. "Yeah,"

"But why? Why would he do that without mentioning it? I guess he made no indication?"

"Of course he didn't- he's always so effing closed,"

"I understand that, Yuugao-San, I understand that very well," Shizuka said darkly, pulling their heads slightly closer so she could speak quieter, "You know, as family, the Uchiha are _very _proud of him and how far Uchiha-Taichou has risen is more than anyone could ever have hoped for… But his actions… his _conduct…_"

Shizuka laid the bait, and Yuugao snapped it up. "Yeah, his _conduct!"_ The younger woman snarled.

The female Uchiha frowned at the other woman's bitterness, and shook her head with feigned shock, "Oh… Yuugao-San… I'm so sorry-"

"No, no- It's okay, I just wish he weren't so cold," Yuugao choked. "I thought… I don't know what I thought- he's reassigning me to North, or something, and that's such a pain- I have so many friends here and-"

Shizuka embraced the snivelling woman. "It's fine, it's fine- come here,"

"You're so nice, so lovely- so unlike your _cousin,_" Yuugao half-snarled the final word, and this made Shizuka smirk wickedly.

"Yes, that's true,"

Then, Yuugao brought the embrace to a close, still holding back her tears of resentment. She stepped away from Shizuka and collected herself.

"Don't let me stop you," She said and went back to placing her belongings in the shoulder bag. "Go ahead,"

"You take care now," Shizuka said and turned towards the door.

"You too,"

* * *

Itachi felt bad for Yuugao, but it could not be avoided. She needed to go- he knew she was more upset about leaving her fully established life here than the fact he'd essentially used her for sex and then sacked her.

However, as he told her, the tears on her face angered him. It had been pitiful to watch. What purpose were they to serve? He would not change his mind; those words were final.

In truth, it had annoyed him mainly because today seemed like a bad day- right from the start. The grim promise of rain, the mysterious intruder, and now the stupidly emotional suspension of his secretary all appeared to surmount to an uncompromising dark cloud of strife that stalked him wherever he went. Along with every other problem under the sun, Itachi couldn't help but feel his feet breaking through the thinning ice of life.

A headache began in his temples, and his sole wish was for them all to go away and leave him to get on with his job.

After a couple of hours, his focus returned, and he was able to plunge into work. Lunchtime ticked by, but he did not stir from his office, and neither did Yuugao come to check if he wanted anything.

Just as he was completing some stats, he heard the outer door from the room beyond open, and a voice he had hoped not hear for a while filled the room like foul-smelling sulphur. Inwardly, Itachi's mind curdled with resentment.

_What does she want? _He fumed and cursed the ground that woman walked on. The urge to throw her out of his camp was beyond tempting.

He heard the hushed sniffles from the other woman, and Shizuka's sugar-coated poison. She was in the outer room for a fair few minutes before the witch waltzed in through his door, without knocking or any courtesy, like a damned apparition that were better off long-forgotten.

Uchiha Shizuka stepped in, without any acknowledgement. Her eyes were smiling as she placed all attention on the clear space above Itachi's head. She said not a word.

The room grew colder as a waft of chilly wind entered along with the woman. Itachi thought the discomfort satirised her perfectly.

The Uchiha commandant stared at her, masked and expectant, though inside he seethed with total hatred. He despised every little detail, especially what she represented in the Clan's context.

After minutes of deafening silence, Itachi spoke.

"What do you want, Shizuka?" He said, impassive as possible.

The woman's only reaction was a large, pearly grin and a small shake of her head. Her dark eyes finally landed on her younger cousin, and Itachi had never felt the urge to smack her more than then.

"Get on with it or leave," He snapped, a trickle of emotion seeping through. He hated losing his temper, but she was far too irritating.

The tone of his voice snapped Shizuka to attention, and her expression altered to something slightly more defensive.

"Can't I simply visit my cousin if I wish to?" She pouted, "You really are far too cruel sometimes,"

Itachi said nothing; he waited for her to continue.

Shizuka ignored his silence and wandered round the room. She pinpointed his window and gazed out beyond the glass, watching the greying ocean.

"You do have a beautiful view," She remarked, leaning on her arms, and stretching her back like a cat. The light illuminated her porcelain face; the pallor creating a doll-like countenance that Itachi knew was nothing but fallacy. "I'm jealous,"

"If you are attempting to seduce me again, then leave," He snapped, arms folding in menace. "The idea is sickening, and you may tell the Elders and Fugaku just what I think of their disgusting schemes, seeing as you're so eager to follow their direction all of a sudden,"

"Tell him- no, tell _them,_ yourself Itachi," Shizuka grinned mischievously and sauntered towards his desk keen as any jezebel plucked from any seedy street corner. "Fugaku's only trying to keep you out of trouble- and that's nothing knew, is it? Why don't you just show your bloody gratitude, or, if you really want to set the room ablaze then why don't you just get some other silly cow, like that one out there, pregnant; now that would _really _piss everyone-"

"Get out." Itachi seethed, enough so for his eyes to bleed crimson. He glowered at Shizuka, sharingan alight and burning straight through her skull. His voice screamed finality and the aggressive action appeared to startle her.

She took a step backwards. Her face darkened, and the same impassiveness all Uchiha were able to muster at the best of times came over her features. She reached into her pocket, solemnly, and took out a note addressed to Itachi. She placed it on the table, and waited for him to take it. Itachi made no move.

"That's all I was here for, you ungrateful brat,"

"Get out."

Shizuka glanced up, frowning and apparently upset. She gave Itachi a long, beseeching look; it was almost an apology.

"Get out." Itachi repeated for the third time, and Shizuka finally conceded. Just as she slipped through the door, she paused in her step and took one last sorry look over her shoulder; just the curve of her cheek could be seen behind her lustrous mass of black hair.

"Don't ever walk in here without my permission," he announced, only loud enough for her to hear. "And don't ever come to see me again unless I _order _you to. Now get out of my office before you are thrown out."

Shizuka slunk away.

Relief flooded over the Uchiha in the most comforting of waves. The tension dropped from his shoulders, and the chakra left his eyes their hypnotic midnight shade.

His headache crept back like a recurring nightmare and he played with the idea of taking a rest up in his quarters.

The letter on his desk did nothing to quell his ominous mood. He recognised the handwriting, but the initial give-away was the fact that Shizuka had delivered it personally. He took it in his hand, and seemed to deliberate about whether to open it now, or to procrastinate and open it later. He played around with the latter idea, before yielding to his dreaded curiosity.

Tearing the letter open, he saw it was not long, and he was thankful for that small mercy. Wishing he now hadn't opened it before murdering a pair of sake bottles, Itachi begrudgingly read on.

_Itachi,_

_I trust Shizuka has laid down the Clan's wishes. I have heard that you are not cooperating. Remember, it is a practice that has been utilised for centuries to keep our blood at its purest; you, as well as Shizuka, have talents that cannot be wasted, and never before have we been so desperate for new talent. Sasuke will be asked in time. You should know better than most that war will be upon us. Everything has been set in motion, and you must act accordingly. I know you understand your duties, but I wonder whether you will ever concede and do what is best for your family. I hope you will recognise your true Fate._

_A month from now, I want you take leave. The Clan are uniting from all parts of the Fire Country, and all must be present. _

_On another note, as your father, it's __**my **__duty to question your behaviour. Your antics must stop, Itachi. We have heard enough outrage._

_I await your response. _

After his eyes travelled to the end of the last sentence, Itachi sat in a cold, depressive stillness, as if his brain needed a moment to catch up with time. The first letter he had received from his father in years, and it did nothing but anger him.

How much more callous could Fugaku be? How much more ludicrously _blatant _could the bastard become? It sickened Itachi, made him feel putridly aware of his Clan's disgraceful behaviour. The letter reminded him of his previous argument with Shizuka, of what was mentioned. Her fear of Konohagakure's suspicion screamed at him like a warning siren. For someone like her to change so suddenly…

The mentioning of inevitable war… the desperation.

This seemed all too familiar for Itachi to bear. Why could they never let go of such hatred? Why did they always believe they needed to prove themselves as a Clan- Itachi had done extremely well for himself, and so could others in his family if only they were let go of that pathetic, useless notion of prejudice. Of course, the Clan's history could do nothing to reassure their paranoia, but they forget: he saved them once, and if this was how they were going to conduct themselves then why should he carry on?

Itachi read through it again, and again, until all the characters turned in a circling mush of gibberish. Things were not as they should be, and the clouds manifesting in the vast sky above handed him a conclusive answer.

_Why do they persist on destroying themselves?_

Itachi felt nothing but shame for his family, and the sooner he could tell them just so, the better. Perhaps to smack them back to reality is the only way?

He had distanced himself from them; because he knew that was the only way he could hold back his hatred, that he could still harbour even the faintest glimpses of love for those twisted relatives.

Some, he would love unconditionally, but others he would rather see hang for what they have done to generations of his ancestors. The pride, the power, the ambition… so pointless. He wished he could quell every disillusioned child's disappointment. He wished that he could stop some much.

Angrily, Itachi punched a pile of documents to the floor. He felt them hovering in the space next to his head, hating the way they took so long to adhere to gravity. Resisting the urge to tear every single one of the to shreds, Itachi grabbed a pen and paper, and begun to write furiously.

It was shorter than his father's, and although a response was required, Itachi did not write to Fugaku; he wrote to Sasuke. When he finished, he folded it and slipped it into an envelope.

He stepped towards the door, and entered into the secretary's room.

"Yuugao-San,"

Yuugao spun around, obviously not sensing his movements at all. She really had been out of circulation for an unhealthy duration.

"Ye-Yes?" She stammered and looked him once over.

Itachi held the note out toward her. She took it.

"Could you post that on your way down?"

She nodded.

"Thank you," Itachi said quietly, but then turned back to her as if interrupted by an after thought. "Could you also inform Haruno Sakura that I wish to see her at eight o'clock, tonight, in her quarters?"

"Yes, sir," She nodded again.

"Thank you, Yuugao."

He turned back into his office, and began to tidy up the spilled documents.

* * *

Evening consumed the morbid day, and Sakura was finally able to remove her clinical attire. She let out an honest sigh of relief as the last of her rounds were covered. Locking her office, she bid her staff goodnight and smiled as she handed over the notes to the medic in control of the night rounds.

It was twenty-to-eight, and despite the minute walk to her quarters, Sakura couldn't help but feel rushed. She had been alerted to Itachi's visiting by Yuugao- not entirely what she'd been expecting. The girl seemed upset, and she talked to other members of staff who she obviously knew much better than Sakura.

But the older woman had made it perfectly clear that she did not want to talk with Sakura about anything.

Yuugao seemed particularly off towards Sakura, and the medic couldn't help but feel a self-conscious chill whenever the ANBU officer glanced her way.

_What's her problem? _Sakura had wondered, and was thankful that Yuugao chose not to stay long.

Afterwards, she had approached one of the other the younger medics the officer had talked to. She told Sakura that Yuugao was being transferred.

"Seems like Uchiha-Taichou got bored," She'd remarked a little too cattily for Sakura's taste. Thinking about it in retrospect, that girl had reminded her of a younger Ino (street-wise, blonde and sexy). She'd made some other bitchy and cruel remarks, but Sakura had decided to stop listening by that point.

Unlocking the door to her flat, Sakura's mind remained fixed upon the sudden dismissal of Yuugao. Her mind speculated, and if what she had gathered in small snippets of bitchy conversation, Itachi had grown bored of her for one reason and one reason alone. If anything, the miniature Ino had confirmed this assumption.

_That appears to be the way he is… _It seemed a pity; he didn't want to be tied to anything, perhaps not even his family. He hadn't been back in Konoha for years, and even Sakura noticed a silent tension between him and Shizuka. Sasuke barely mentioned him; she certainly hadn't known of his position here until their last discussion over breakfast.

These thoughts still fresh, Sakura fell onto her comfy sofa with a small "oomph" and flung her right arm over her eyes. She sat in silent stillness for a couple of seconds, before checking the clock on the wall. It read 7:37.

There wasn't really enough time for her to gather anything edible. She wasn't that hungry, although her last meal had been around half-one. Besides, she had gone longer without food. She was just tired. Sleep was what Sakura needed now, but that would have to be postponed.

Had she foreseen her tiredness, then perhaps she would have suggested tomorrow night as a better time.

Sakura smiled. _Damn his persistence. _It was in Itachi's character to act just so. He was eager to be proven correct; his scepticism revealed that much.

Once again, Sakura wallowed in the sweet periphery of sleep; it was like a cliff her body knew not to plummet from. She dosed blissfully for what could easily have been mistaken for hours. But Sakura was well aware that this was simply an illusion, for a knock on her door burst through her cloud of harmonious dosing.

She needn't ask who it was. Still groggy from fatigue, Sakura meandered towards the flat door, and opened it. As she expected, there was Uchiha Itachi, neither a second late, nor a second too early.

"Good evening, come in," Sakura greeted him, and allowed him to step through the threshold.

Itachi stepped through, all the whilst observing her. She was too tired, that was plain to see, and she had probably not eaten for a while. His deftness at managing to deduce these scraps of information was something of a sixth sense.

"You're very tired," He stated, but Sakura waved these words away.

"I'm fine," She said, "This will help relax me,"

Itachi scrutinised the kunoichi from under those criminally long eyelashes. "Very well," He said and glanced around the room, as if wondering whether anything had changed since Sakura had acquired it.

Having him here, in her own apartments, was so surreal to Sakura. In the dimly lit room the commandant was softened in the best of ways; not harsh in the blinding light of day. His face was one best suited to moonlight and the tint of lamplight. He was more beautiful than handsome, and that was seldom seen within the opposite sex.

In reality, Itachi's feminine features should have been held against him. In this world however, combined with his inherent powers and unique persona, these gifts of his mother appeared even more extraordinary. He was a strange, muted paradox.

"Can I get you anything…?"

"No, I'm fine thank you," He said watching her, surveying her. "I would like to start,"

"Of course," Sakura replied hastily, cursing herself for not being quicker and more assertive. "Would you prefer to stay in here or lie down in the bedroom?"

The connotations of what she had just mentioned made Sakura a little uneasy, but not a twitch passed across Itachi's face.

"I would rather the bed," He said and seemed to take himself there without waiting for her willful acknowledgement.

The action made Sakura gulp. She wanted to brew some tea- or perhaps coffee- but he might become impatient.

Itachi knew where to go, and Sakura followed at his heels. As they entered, she flicked the light on, and dimmed it so the illumination wasn't blaring and blinding.

"How long should it take?" Itachi turned and watched the tall trees sway in the breezy night.

"About an hour," She replied, and immediately snapped herself back into her clinical guise. She brushed past the Uchiha and rearranged the pillows so his neck wouldn't develop an ache.

Itachi's eyes followed her form, admiring the smooth contours of her back and the curve of her hips. Like every other kunoichi, her body was sleek and toned, yet still feminine in its silhouette and texture.

Sakura craned her neck back before moving out the way to let Itachi lie down. He sat on the edge of the bed and removed his shoes.

"Um, Uchiha-Taichou?"

He glanced up. "Hmm?"

"Could you also remove your shirt?" She asked, so humbly it almost made Itachi chuckle.

"Why?"

Sakura gulped but fought her embarrassment back. "It makes this treatment easier to conduct, sir,"

Itachi nodded, and shrugged out of his shirt.

Sakura inwardly smirked, and resisted to bite her lip. She was used to seeing good-looking young men remove their clothes (Naruto was no stranger to running around half-naked). Still, she could admit that what Itachi had was nothing less than stunning.

She successfully managed to watch him and avoid being caught simultaneously. Itachi made no recognition of her gawping at his chiselled torso, and Sakura was glad it was left merely at that.

She observed how his eyes watched nothing but the softly lit ceiling metres above, and how perfectly rays of muted light from the lamps on the walls illumed the soft lines of his countenance.

Sakura rubbed her hands together, warming them. It was never polite to place cold hands on uncovered skin.

"Are you warm enough?" She asked, before beginning.

Itachi nodded in response and awaited her touch. Though he would never admit it, this whole scenario intrigued him. The change in Sakura's mood too was intriguing. She inspected his torso, as if she were to take it apart with a scalpel. Her mindset was fascinating, and Itachi continued to spy her from lazy eyes.

Sakura drew a careful amount of chakra to her palms. Readying herself, she gave one last look at Itachi's face (he looked terribly bored) and rushed back into what she had promised.

She sat down on the side of the bed and twisted her body to face his, ignoring the uncomfortable warmth of Itachi's leg brushing against her hip.

Letting her hands rest barely millimetres from his chest Sakura's hard concentration followed her hands intensely as they warmed Itachi's skin. They danced paths of chakra-induced heat that she began to repeat, as if they were following a loop of stepping-stones.

Though Itachi was unaware at the start, tiny infusions of chakra slowly began to replenish and, in some cases, purify his own chakra, and his outer body. At first his aches and pains would not cease, and he felt himself growing increasingly impatient with the young woman. It seemed slow and tiresome. With these thoughts, his expectations lowered.

That said, it was immensely pleasurable, and he would tolerate it simply because of this.

He watched dosile and relaxed as the room's soft glow wrapped Sakura in its perfect warmth. It was as if here and only here could she be herself. There were no guards, no playful bravado and no silent blushes of embarrassment. No challenge. Here was Sakura, concentrating and mind fixed on only one single goal; it was as if no one could disturb her from that trance. Having Sakura's warm hands warm his skin was a curious sensation, and he pondered on why it felt considerably different from any other touch. It was not the same as the confident, searching touches of sex, and neither was it the same as chakra healing a gaping wound.

His eyes remained open, despite the temptation of giving in to this relaxation.

Numerous times, Sakura glanced up to watch the Uchiha fight the invitation of sleep her ministration promised, and she was tempted to ask him to close his eyes, for they were staring far too hard at her hands.

"Uchiha-Taichou, I think you will benefit more if you close your eyes; it would help you relax more," She suggested it tentatively, but met with glowering look of defiance.

Itachi would not allow that; he would get to the bottom of how she could induce these feelings. It was difficult, he realised, because he was _already _so relaxed.

Minutes ticked by, and they sat in silence for the entire time, both concentrating more than the other suspected. Neither made any signs of instigating a conversation; that was not the purpose of this visit. Itachi was suspicious of her methods, and Sakura was eager to impress her superior.

After about forty-five minutes, to his surprise, Itachi began to feel some of the aches and pains ebb away. They weren't healed as such, it was like they became suppressed and forgotten- a distant memory. The revelation excited him, and he could not understand what he had missed.

Taking a sly peek at the medic above him, Itachi bled his eyes to red for a second time that day. He did not really care whether the girl noticed or not, this had now become something fascinating, and only the sharingan could delve into its secrets.

He was not taken aback by the utilisation of chakra, as that had been expected. He was more captivated by what Sakura's chakra was doing, and why there was such a small amount being used.

Sakura pretended not to notice what Itachi was doing, and she hoped her satisfied smugness wouldn't rear its naughty head.

"What is your chakra doing precisely?" Itachi asked, somewhat coldly.

Sakura paced herself, so as she collected her words, there would be no interrupting her technique. "It's soothing, not quite healing, your muscles directly, though quite slowly. Then, from you muscles, my chakra is delving even slower into your chakra streams. I'm depositing some pure healing chakra, and letting it filter the rest," She paused, as if deliberating. "I have basically finished, sir. Although you won't feel much, if you keep coming back for regular treatment over the next couple of weeks, you will see a noticeable difference," From here she finished and took her hands away from Itachi's chest."I promise,"

The Uchiha sat up. There was no crick in his neck, nor any other aches for that matter. In this sense, he did feel better, but his insides felt raw and invaded. His fatigue was increased, but he had been fighting the clutches of rest since he laid his head on those wonderful pillows.

Sakura stood away from her bed and left Itachi to put his clothes back on. Here, she filled her neat little kettle and located her tin of herbal tea. She thought camomile would be the best option before bed.

Itachi soon followed her, his eyes unable to defy his weariness. She had not been able to do more, for that would overload his system and exhaust him further.

"Would like anything now before you leave, Uchiha-Taichou?" She doubted he would stay any longer, and was proven correct when Itachi politely declined.

"Thank you," He said, and Sakura knew this referring to everything she had done. "But I must leave,"

"Okay…" The kettle rumbled behind her. "You will feel better in the morning,"

This made Itachi smirk slightly.

"In which case, expect a full report tomorrow morning," He said slyly, and made his way to the door.

"Not giving me a time once again?" Sakura said playfully. "I'm a busy person as well, remember,"

Itachi stopped in his tracks and turned his body fully towards Sakura. Her back was to him, pouring a boiling cup of tea. Once again, his eyes inspected her from head to toe.

"Expect me anytime," He smiled to himself, deciding deviously what would be the plan of action.

"That's even worse!" Sakura spun around, but met with a closing door.

_What the fuck? _Sakura scowled, but decided she was too tired to _actually _care. Instead, she thought it best dimply to horde as much sleep as possible. The long, sleepless night before had taken its toll.

So wandering relaxed and sleep-ready, Sakura took her camomile tea into her bedroom and set it on the bedside table next to her double bed. She tugged on her nightclothes and quickly, but ever so gently; she was ensnared by the deepest of peaceful slumber.

* * *

It was early when Sakura had laid her head to rest, and it was still quite early (about ten-thirty) when Itachi finally conceded to peace. He slipped into bed, enjoying the softness of the sheets against his supple skin and the darkness soothing his eyes. Before he slept, he listened to the songs of the night.

Outside, the owls sang their nightly song, waiting for the unsuspecting prey to naively scurry out into the unprotected open. In the distance, foxes howled and yelped, as if trying to locate each other; or warn each other of danger, just as shinobi did.

He could not shake the feeling, just as he toppled over the border of unconsciousness, that he could not help but admire the cunning of these animals, for they exhibited something he valued above many things; the correct and calculated exploitation of patience, a virtue seldom refined by even the greatest of minds.

* * *

Shit, that was too long X.X

Thanks for reading and reviewing. xxx


	5. All this Glory

Thank you for reviewing. Sorry it's taken so effing long.

Chapters 1, 2, 3, and 4 have all been changed- so check 'em out (especially 3)

My laptop has died so I have very little time to do anything. . Should be acquiring a new one very soon (fingers crossed).

My spell checker is an absolute WANKER. Btw. .

* * *

**_Chasing the Moon_**

**_Chapter Five- All this Glory_**

* * *

The next day, Itachi's suspicions are proven correct. Thick clouds, salted by the eastern sea, were gathering high and dense above the coast. Accompanied by a cool, ghostly mist, the summer rain washed against the glass of his windows, rumbling Itachi from sleep. His eyes cracked open but all they met was the chilled embrace of darkness. Not a slither of light peaked through the thin curtains, so the Sun had not yet breeched the horizon.

When Itachi moved from his bed, he stepped tall and firm, stretching his limbs like a cat. To his surprise, he was noticeably more drowsy than usual, and when he teetered on his usually sturdy feet, had to strain his consciousness in order to regain his balance.

_Dr Haruno doesn't overrate her talents… _He smiled slightly, and although he felt sleepier and less awake, he did feel far more rejuvenated than he had for months. At least it was a welcome difference from his shaking, caffeine-craving muscles.

After a time his eyes adjusted to the dark, and he wandered towards the window, moving the soft curtain from the smooth glass with his hand as he stepped close to squint through the shadows. His fingers lingered just millimetres from the fine, mirror-like glass. He could feel the coolness of the rain emanate through the glass and tingle the tips of his digits. It was an odd, almost forgotten sensation.

The moon was nowhere to been seen, obviously disappearing to the other side of the sky to make way for the Sun that was soon to rise. All that littered the horizon beyond the trees was a vast opaque cloud with pockets of sprinkled stars escaping through the cracks in its blanket-like covering. The thin mist swirled around the tall lampposts, lolling in and out of the light, appearing like strands of woven smoke. If he listened intently enough, Itachi could hear the never-ending roar of the ocean thunder over the rain.

With one, quiet movement his fingertips connected with the glass. The cold shuddered through him in a comforting, pleasant shiver that dulled the humidity of the air. He could even feel the melodic tapping of the raindrops as they tumbled against the windowpane. The twitter of birds could be heard as they too awoke from slumber, instigating the daily dawn chorus.

Other sounds stole his attention as a border patrol crashed in from duty, noisy and excitable as the rain washed over their heated bodies. Itachi watched from his window as they strode through the courtyard, beginning a joking banter with the squad that would replace them. The soft amber lamplight was all that illuminated the group as they flickered in and out of the courtyard.

The Commander, revered and feared by all, watched as they exchanged their stories, their welcoming and their best wishes. He was seldom known for his compassion, for a longing of a different life, and why should he? Uchiha Itachi was successful, in the shinobi aesthetic, and there were very few who could be deemed a greater inspiration. His name was whispered and cursed world-over. He could achieve anything he wished, take whatever he wished, and destroy, it seemed, whatever or whomever he wished.

_But there is a price one pays for all this …_His eyes closed, then shot open again, but this time they flickered with a very different colour. His eyes, these eyes so heavily laden with chakra, were what isolated him, for there were very few who even knew about the existence of these eyes. _I never asked for glory._

Alone, and suddenly very cold, Itachi surveyed his soldiers through his deadly, shadowed mangekyou sharingan, staring as their chakras twirled and wisped through the night air. He felt so isolated, his loneliness was like a sabre slashing his spine, leaving him paralysed.

* * *

The scalpel clattered against the tin dish, a thin line of blood tainting the tip.

_Just a little longer… _Sakura applied her chakra through the incision, drawing the alien item from the side of the shinobi she was treating. She allowed her chakra to seep through the flesh, drawing away anything infectious, and continued to do so as she drew the lodged piece of metal through a thick bed of blood and muscle. A small shuriken was embedded in the shinobis right side. He was under local anaesthetic, but she could tell he was finding the sensation strange to say the least.

Sakura beamed a reassuring smile. "I've almost removed the shuriken. All that's left is for me to stitch you up after,"

The man beneath her nodded, and was quite perturbed at the fact that he could feel so much discomfort despite having such a pretty medic hovering above him, her brow knitted together in delightfully careful concentration.

Sakura's fingers navigated the wound deftly and soon the shuriken was dislodged and removed. Her chakra spilled over the incision stitching his flesh back together before dressing his side herself.

He thanked her, through the numbing haziness of the anaesthetic, and Sakura said her goodbye as she washed and disinfected her hands. The nurse took away the bloodied shuriken in another tin.

She stepped towards the water cooler, clipboard under arm and leant against the stark white wall. The morning had been tiring, but it was almost lunchtime. Sakura ran herself a cup of water and sipped it quietly, contemplating the remainder of the day. She wished to visit the bar, a wanting itch to survey the nightlife and perhaps acquire some new acquaintances, seeing as her pool of friends at the place was pretty shallow.

She would immerse herself in the loathsome paperwork after lunch, keen to remove that tiresome job from her inner checklist. She sipped at the water, eyes flickering around the ward as nurses and other medics rushed around like worker bees in the centre of a hive.

Another thought that puzzled her was the lack of communication from the office of her officer-in-chief. Itachi had yet to contact her. No note, no message or messenger. She had not seen him about anywhere, although he was registered as on-site. Sakura silently seethed with his lack of correspondence, and decided she would contact his quarters herself. She did not like to be messed about, and Itachi's obvious lack of contact was a far cry from the routine of life in Konohagakure.

When she returned to her office, Sakura rang the HQ and spoke to the receptionist.

"Hi, this Haruno Sakura calling from the hospital, could you please put me through to Commander Uchiha?"

"Oh I'm sorry, the Commander is unavailable at the moment. He's off-site, would you like me to pass on a message?"

Sakura's brow furrowed with thought. Surely all other officials should be notified? That would seem a far more efficient practice.

"No, no, that's fine, do you know when he will be back?" She asked, but had a feeling that the answer would be no.

"I'm sorry but he did not say," Said the receptionist, obviously puzzled but used to Itachi's tendency to leave without notifying anyone.

* * *

Itachi raced through the forest, furious as he plunged through the thicket like a slick otter through water. At this speed, the rain slapped into his body like bullets of ice, and the wind stung his eyes until they were sore and rimmed with red. His cheeks were ruddy and torso drenched with both the rain water and perspiration.

He was tracking, just a couple of miles out from Eastern, on the trail of the same presence he had felt the day before. He had noticed it as soon as he had left the courtyard, and had rushed a message back to the HQ that he would be leaving for the day. No one dared to question him. All other engagements were put on hold and left for another day.

Despite the annoyance this would cause Itachi could in no way allow this nefarious figure to elude him once again. He could not ignore it this time. He followed the other's footsteps, and would confront him once the time was right.

As he ploughed forward, the weather became harsher and the rain heavier. The humidity was beyond uncomfortable, and Itachi began to grow impatient. The pursued man's chakra became more pronounced, growing in size, and Itachi's sharingan became sensitive to all that surrounded him. His muscles tensed underneath his skin, poised and ready for whatever maybe lurking round the corner.

As he tailed the person in front, Itachi became much more aware of the distance, of the fact that he had not run into any other Konoha ninja along the way. The trees were empty, seemingly devoid of the forest's usual animation. The forest should not have been so quiet. Nothing apart from the rain released any noise, there were no songs from the canopies. Just the sound of raindrops and the thud of his shoes along the bark.

* * *

Despite Sakura's misgivings, confusion and annoyance connected to her commanding officer, she was able to slip through her work, signing and validating reams and reams of documents. A cup of coffee remained filled and loyal at her side, the caffeine pulling her forward, along with the prospect of a fun night. She was even happier, as her belongings had finally arrived, late but in one piece nonetheless.

The day never changed. The hours leaked by as easily as water fell from the sky. It had turned out to be a grey, sombre day, with the prevailing mist blocking the view of the angry, pewter sea. Sakura's body began to shake a little as she continued to consume the caffeine, but was at least able to remove this effect with ease. She had asked the receptionist to notify Itachi that she had asked after him.

_Perhaps that would remind him not to keep me waiting_. She mused, thinking it very rude and arrogant that he should think it perfectly fine to simply leave her in the dark. Sakura had a busy and tiresome schedule just as well as Itachi did. If they were to work together harmoniously then surely the Uchiha should have to realise this.

_If I did that he would be so pissed off_. Sakura huffed, and went back to the moronic and tiresome job of filing and signing.

* * *

The tendrils of the wisteria hung as intricate and deceiving as a spider's web, dripping with mildew and wet. The heady, pungent smell that emanated from the flower buds rose through the damp blocking Itachi's senses like the stench of too much perfume.

For some time now Itachi had realised whoever was leading him was running rings around this dense, concentrated area. Round and round they spiralled, this cat and mouse game had becoming like a joke. Itachi was well aware of the man's enormous amount of chakra, and wondered whether this stupid exercise was intended to tire him out. His head spun as he searched through his mind, trying to draw out any suspicions on who this person might be. Unfortunately, there were many people he knew of with an unusually large supply of chakra in this world.

Pushing forward, Itachi quickened his pace, already having memorised the route. He knew where he was; there was a short cut he would use which would cut the journey in half. He sped along the giant moss-topped logs and rotting, long-fallen carcasses of the largest trees. The rain still plummeted down as he descended into the undergrowth.

The sky disappeared altogether as he sunk into the shadowed coppice. The light around him acquired a green hue, and the rain lessened as it was caught by huge the umbrella-sized leaves. Itachi kept downwind, just in case his antagonist was blessed with a keen sense of smell. When he had rushed through the thicket and perched, squatting on the balls of his feet, on a rock hidden by a cluster of bushes, Itachi waited. His hand went to the hilt of his katana, ready and poised.

Any minute now, he could feel, taste it on his excitable breaths.

Footsteps came into hearing rang. They were barely inches apart.

The wind tickled his ear, the feeling like a soft, muted command. It was that his sharingan widened, and heart pulsated like a drum beneath his ribcage. Itachi flew forward, the whisper of his blade slicing through the air rang through the forest like a death-cry.

Itachi expected to meet a decent retaliation, and his adversary did not disappoint. As the Uchiha's katana had flown through the air, he was met with resistance. A large, thoroughly unfamiliar resistance. It was a slightly flinched, reflex movement, one of someone skilled in swordsmanship.

As both recoiled, Itachi flew back and perched on a high branch. His enemy thundered to the forest floor, his massive sword standing like a second person alongside him.

Itachi took a long, strained stare at his enemy. He was easily recognisable.

_Hoshigaki Kisame? _There was no mistaking it. The man was too bizarre to forget. The tall man's blue skin reminded Itachi of a corpse he came across trapped in a lake frozen lake years ago on a mission in the Snow Country. His teeth, clear, white and jagged were a sight to behold, but not something Itachi had seen for the first time, as this fashion of teeth appeared quite popular in the Water Country. The sword- what was its name?

_Samehada. _Itachi would have to be careful, as he recalled the stories of that sword's insatiable taste for chakra.

The chakra, the Samehada, along with the shocking appearance... Yes, indeed, this definitely was the deadly, infamous Hoshigaki Kisame.

_One of the legendary swordsman. _Itachi held his katana high above his head, sharingan an angry blaze.

The tall, broad brute below him stared up with beady, pig-like black eyes. Itachi couldn't help but be distracted by the fleshy paper-thin skin of his gills as it fluttered in the breeze. All around them, the leaves hid them from the rain like a tent.

They both stared, locked in a match of wits and bravado. Neither man was phased by the other, although their intentions were considerably different.

Kisame mouth was a thin, sombre line as he gazed up at Itachi. His stance was perfectly straight, but relaxed . There was very little malice in the air surrounding the strange man.

The opposite could be said for Itachi, for the atmosphere seethed with malevolence around the Konoha Official. He was on edge, gladly taking the aggressive stance, waiting patiently for any form of attack.

For minutes on end, neither moved. Kisame began to look wearisome, and Itachi began to explore other parts that made up this bizarre-looking man. His attire was odd- Itachi had never seen anything like it before. The man from Kirigakure was wearing an over-sized, thick black coat, the material decorated with randomly placed red clouds outlined with white stitching. His leg-guards were covered with white what appeared to be white legwarmers, and his toes and fingernails were painted black. The headband across his forehead was slashed in the middle, as if the insignia of Kirigakure were marred with a scar.

_What is this_? Itachi's brow furrowed, having no recognition of this peculiar outfit, not even in the bingo books.

Kisame seemed to linger and look around awkwardly as the Uchiha shot angry, menacing glares from up in the foliage. His chakra was flared and dangerous, but it was not so different to all the other encounters he'd had with other Uchiha back in the past. In fact, Kisame imagined quite confidently that he had fought more intimidating foes than this young man. Whatever his superior's interest in this runt of a commander was, Kisame could not see it standing here. Still, he was sent on a mission he was forced to accept.

"Uchiha Itachi, I presume?" Kisame said, fixing the Samehada over his shoulder and standing as casually as would seem fit for such a situation.

In a surprisingly quick movement, Itachi leapt silently to the ground, his feet effortlessly quiet. He stood a fair few feet away from the mist nin, but his decidedly murderous intent was still prevailing through the depths of his swirling sharingan.

"Correct," He replied, returning his own katana to its patterned scabbard. "And you are Hoshigaki Kisame,"

"Oh," Kisame chuckled, "You've heard of me?"

"Yes," Itachi said and kept his mask-like exterior intact. All that moved was the wind sweeping through his hair and hypnotising swirl of his sharingan. "Although I'm sure I've heard no where near as much as you've heard of me,"

Kisame's eyes narrowed, making the hollows of his eye sockets appear to retract into his skull. This along with his complexion made him look quite zombie-like to Itachi's eyes.

"Funny, because you're skinnier and shorter than I imagined. Much cockier too," Kisame said darkly, a hint of malice finally crossing the disconcerting grin from his big mouth. "You're girlier as well. In that outfit, you look more like one of those leaf tarts than-"

Kisame stopped mid-sentence, for his tongue would not move. In fact, the situation was more like his tongue disappeared into the bottom of his mouth. His hands flew up to his face, quick as a flash as he squirmed and hummed angry protestations as the Uchiha in front of him.

"That was very miscalculated error on your part," Itachi scolded, and watched as the man in front seethed with hatred. "I should decapitate you right now... but I have decided not to,"

Kisame narrowed glared at the Uchiha, the fury bulging through his tiny eyes as his mouth and lips began to disappear, along with his teeth.

"I won't kill you, Hoshigaki Kisame, because I know you haven't come here to challenge me," Itachi continued, now walking relaxed circles around his distressed foe. "That much is evident, seeing as we've run around in pointless circles for the last couple of hours. You would have challenged me when I first felt you following me by the cliff top yesterday morning if you were serious. That must mean you wish to relay a message, or some other such reason has brought you here. From your sourness I can imagine that you were not given a choice, and that you do not wish to be here,"

Once Itachi had circumnavigated Kisame's personal space, the Uchiha stepped in front of him and tilted his head in consideration.

"If I release you from this genjutsu, and you comply by simply passing on whatever message you have, then I shall let you go," Itachi announced, eyes hard as rubies. "If you insult me once more, or make a move to attack me then I will collect your head,"

Kisame shuddered with anger, but he could do nothing but comply. He nodded somewhat reluctantly.

"Hmph," Itachi clicked his fingers and the illusion faded back to reality.

Kisame strained to regain his balance, but was able to maintain stable enough to carry on with what he was supposed to do.

When the man in front of him had come back to his senses, Itachi crossed his arms and fixed an impatient glare toward the man who had wasted so much of his precious time.

"Well?"

Kisame shuffled uneasily, his eyes cast down to the man who had so efficiently cast such a disabling genjutsu.

"There's nothing for me to say, really. I was told to hand you this- _he _said you would understand..." Kisame shrugged as the sentence drawled to nothing. He then reached into the pockets of his coat and removed a scroll bound heavily in leather and a thick red ribbon. The seal on the back was the imprint of a character Itachi quickly recognised as "Scarlet".

Kisame threw it to Itachi, of whom caught without even looking. His eyes stayed fixed upon the man in the long, black coat. He eyed the detail of the scroll, speedily drawing the connection to the colours of Kisame's clothes.

"This," Itachi began, flicking his eyes back and forth between Kisame's clothes and the scroll, "is related to your clothes, no?"

Kisame looked up at him puzzled. "Whaddaya mean?"

Itachi's brow furrowed in confusion. "Well, why else _would_ you wear _that? _It looks like a uniform,"

"I've already complied to your wishes. I have no reason to answer your-"

Kisame was once again cut off mid-sentence as something heavy and chakra-laden smacked him over the back of the head. The force of the strike knocked him off balance and he landed face-first in the cool dirt. He then recognised the feel of another human stepping on top of him, deftly twisting his limbs into a three-point lock. Someone's foot was keeping one of his cheeks flush with the ground, whilst Itachi's feet never moved from in front of him.

Itachi crouched low, so he squatted right in front of the stranded Kisame. He sighed, as if he had had enough for one day, and allowed his elbows to rest on his thighs.

The scroll slapped to the floor like a dead fish. It appeared centimetres away from Kisame's face, just close enough for him to smell the freshly bound leather and dried wax sealing. What he assumed was a clone's foot pushed on his cheek.

"Yes, you did comply that far," Itachi said, tired and weary after the anti-climax of this whole ordeal. "However, I want to know more,"

Itachi's clone's foot pushed burning chakra into Kisame's cheek making the man hiss with pain.

"Do you understand?"

Kisame nodded and ground his sharp teeth together. They were so jagged his gums began to bleed. Itachi realised this and wondered if he were at risk from choking in this position. When the man beneath him appeared to be just fine, Itachi continued.

"As I said before," He said, extending a hand to touch the fabric of the coat's vastly over-sized collar. The fabric was rough on the outside, but it looked warm and velvety on the inside. "Where does this come from?"

"Open the fucking scroll and you'll know soon enough," Kisame spat, so Itachi sent more burning chakra through his foot.

"I don't want to know 'soon enough', I want to know everything now,"

"No matter what you do, Uchiha, I'll be in deeper shit than I am now if I disclose anything, so there _really _isn't any fucking point to what you're doing. You'll get more information out of that log over there,"

Itachi showed very little signs of annoyance. He was perfectly able to sit emotionless and quiet as this sorry shinobi kept his ugly mouth loudly unproductive.

"Hoshigaki-San, there is no deeper shit to be in than this," Itachi frowned, still slightly perturbed by the fact that this man would persist to take him far less seriously than he would have been comfortable with. "Tell me... why is there a gash through the Kirigakura insignia across your hitae-ate?"

"It means I've left those shitty fuckers in Kirigakure behind,"

"... You have defected from your country and village?"

"Yeah," Kisame grinned unpleasantly. "I left for brighter and better things. Don't worry, I have no intention of following my former comrades into whatever ridiculous feud they've sparked with you lot,"

The up-coming war with Mist was plain to see.

"So you know nothing of their intentions, nothing at all?"

"Naah, couldn't give a toss either, to be frank,"

"Why did you leave Mist?"

"For a reason that doesn't concern you, and for a reason that is _personal _so I don't think I should have to answer that,"

"Answer me this, then," Itachi half-growled. "Who ever you are with now... the people who have sent me this scroll, they have no allegiance to any Village?"

"None that I know of," Kisame replied, his cheek turning numb and back aching from the strain of having the full weight of a fully-grown man push him down into the ground. "I wouldn't be worried about that though,"

"Why is that?"

"Because nobody I work with now _has _any love for their country or ninja village,"

"You are all rounin?" Itachi's eyes perked to this prospect. "Why have I not seen you classified under "defected" in the bingo book?"

"I left on a couple of weeks ago- I doubt anyone has really noticed I've gone," Kisame sneered. "Fucking cesspool of a dump that place was, can't believe it took so long for me to leave it,"

Itachi sat patiently mulling over the words of this hideous man. It was strange to think he was human, what with a look so vacant and stoic as that of a real shark. His Samehada was useless and unreachable as it helped to weigh him to the floor.

"Why did you not just hand this to me?" Itachi enquired, letting the frustration this man had caused him to brim into anger. "Why did we have to go through all this nonsense before you handed it to me?"

"You needed to be away from the base, so there was no chance of us being interrupted,"

"There could be a squad only a couple of miles away from you anyway in the Fire Country. This makes absolutely no difference,"

Kisame made no reaction to this, instead he sat still and unmoving as the deadly Uchiha grew angrier and angrier.

"The audacity of you meandering into my territory angers me to no end, Hoshigaki Kisame," Itachi snarled, his voice crisp and muted. "You have insulted me in too many ways, and I'm glad that I have only one last question for you,"

Kisame glanced up, peering past the big black foot that obscured most of his peripheral vision. He awaited the man above him to carry on.

"After I read this, what am I expected to do?"

Kisame thought for a while, thinking over his answer. "Well, join up I guess,"

That was all Itachi could take. With one fluid movement from his swirling, dangerous eyes, Itachi gabbed the man's face and drowned Hoshigaki Kisame in a world of nightmares he would not return from lightly.

* * *

Sakura sighed and let her hands grasp the edges of the desk, craning her neck as she allowed one hand to massage her aching back.

_Aaaahhhh I am so dead... _She wanted to be more wide-awake, far, far more wide-awake but her exhausted concentration would not allow it. The caffeine had worn off, and it would not be healthy to consume any more. Her head was contemplating an early night, but her heart was pounding to the belting, remembered tune that had been trapped in her head all day. It buzzed around her mind like a fly trapped in a room without means of escape.

Sakura, being a naturally social person recently felt very isolated, so had decided that she would dance the night away, rather than sleep and waste all her finely tuned social skills. There would be hell to play in the morning, but instant gratification appeared much more appealing.

Her paperwork was done and dusted, so there was little else blocking her promise of a fun, easy-going night. No one had contacted her from the HQ, so she assumed that Commander Uchiha had not returned from his unexpected outing. Mind you, her feels were somewhat divided on this issue. Of course, she wanted to go out to the bar make new friends, drink herself silly and dance till the moon disappears beyond the West-facing trees. However, she did feel slightly disappointed by the fact Uchiha Itachi was absent. Everyday since she had arrived Sakura had always met with Itachi. He had become a regular occurrence, just as the boys back home had become her daily norm.

Not to mention she was eager to show how competent a medic she truly was. Sakura had never liked people doubting her skills. If he was not back before she got thoroughly wasted, then there was no chance that he would receive _any _sort of treatment. Sakura even contemplated with the idea of insisting an apology for making her wait. Now what would Uchiha Itachi say to _that?_

_But I'm not waiting, am I? _The thought flew through her mind like a blush across her cheeks. What a thought to think! Of course she wasn't waiting for him. She didn't even know Itachi a quarter as well as she knew his brother, Naruto, or Kakashi. He wasn't really her friend, and neither was he an acquaintance. Itachi was someone stuck in the limbo of her emotions- not quite a friend, but not an acquaintance either. He was her superior, her patient.

His face found its way into her consciousness, into her day dream and she could not resist the urge to bite her bottom lip. So alike were the Uchiha brothers in looks it was beyond shocking but in personality, Sakura never met such sound matches. With their smooth, beautiful features, both appeared on-par in looks. They were both confident, in the way of shinobi, and could appear arrogant despite their intentions being generally for the gain of the others around them. They were decent people, but were dangerous as well as feared (Itachi much more so than Sasuke, Sakura conceded). Just as she knew these traits to be applicable to Sasuke, the rest of the world seemed to know just how dangerous Itachi could be if pushed. Being born with the sharingan was like being promised your own legend.

It was here that Sakura found herself sitting, hands limp on the desk... _waiting. _Again.

* * *

_"Join up"?_. Itachi flushed with anger at the presumption.

His head spun as his anger toppled, and his fingers made light work of the seal encasing the document. He could not remember the last he felt so confusedly angered.

The scroll spun into life and unravelled itself. The words appeared burnt into the thin paper as if they were written in fire, and Itachi's eyes scanned it thoroughly.

It was an invitation, an invitation to an organisation he had vaguely heard of, something that had been brought to attention in the last year or so.

_Akatsuki? _It was a name Itachi was familiar with, but one he could not hold much against. Memories of a report the sannin Jiraiya had compiled sprung to mind, but for only one reason: Orochimaru. Whether or not this information was still valid was something Itachi would have to investigate.

As his scanned the page, he became far more concerned, for this was not an invitation by simply any bog-standard criminal organisation. The reference to Orochimaru should have been simple enough, but the form of address was unnerving to say the least.

_It's been some time Itachi. _

Rage spread through his body like a quivering cold wind, and it took all his strength of will for Itachi not to rip the letter to pieces there and then.

_You've grown up, certainly, and by now you must now be able to see through the fog that had previously obscured the truth. Your feelings, I'm sure, have matured. I doubt you are so blind as you were before, and not as emotionally-lead. Can you see through time? I have heard you can. _

The paper was vibrating, almost so much that Itachi could barely read it. It was only when he had finally concentrated his nerves that he was able to continue reading.

_We are all proud of you, I hope you can see that. I am glad you did not carry through with what we previously arranged. This outcome has turned rather advantageous for me and my ambitions. And talking of which, I think you may be able to capitalise on my good fortunes, and the improving future of our glorious clan. If you join me, then you shall be bestowed all you desire, all the power and the glory you could ever wish for. All will be in-debt to you. The reconciliation of all the Uchiha is your destiny. Come to me, and we will all make the world the way it should be. _

_Uchiha Madara. _

Itachi finished reading the note, and just as soon as his eyes had scanned every last character the paper burst into invisible flames until there was not a shred of it left.

The darkness had crawled through the clearing, bathing everything into shadow. The trees no longer resembled trees, they resembled the bones of the soon to fall, of the thousands of unmarked, wasted graves. They turned into the bodies of those who were already dead. Itachi imagined the Uchiha insignia, the white and red fan, torn and crumbling as all the world decayed around the flames it had produced.

There was far more to this, far more than Itachi had previously noted. A sense of dread, of shock and utter bewilderment swallowed him whole like a sea of darkness. He felt like he could not breath, like the water was crushing his body, his insides, and his mind. There was far too much to take in at once.

Uchiha Madara. Itachi doubted there were many who could claim to have a better understanding of such a man other than himself. No one alive, anyway. Years ago, in a time that seemed like a dynasty ago, Itachi had made a preposition to the most infamous mangekyou-user. It was a decision Itachi had never been proud of, and had rated it as one of the worst decisions of his life, but the threats had saved his clan, his family, of whom had been happily wandering a path of hopeless self-destruction.

Could they be as blind as to mark their own graves again? The thought made Itachi light-headed and giddy.

Or could this be another ploy of Madara's? Could this revenge-ravaged man simply be stirring the foundations of the clan once again for his own gain?

The memories of those days, the days Itachi had wanted to bury and forget for the rest of his life came back into focus like a sharp slap in the face. Never had he felt so guilt, nor so confused and heartbroken.

If this was true, which, as the horror crept under his skin and through to his blood, Itachi knew he could never feel more betrayed.

* * *

Sakura laughed and laughed, feeling the rhythm of the beats slipping through her body and soul like warm embrace from a friend she had not seen in years. The feeling was beyond therapeutic.

She sipped her drink- a Southern Comfort and lemonade- through the cool black straw and tossed her head as if she had not a care in the world. She smiled and danced and socialised, happy to run into a couple of friends from back home. She was pleasantly surprised by the arrival of Shikamaru and Kiba, and had spent the majority of the night with them.

"Asuma-Sensei is here too," Shikamaru had grinned. "Congratulations on the job, by the way,"

"Aww thanks. You heard already?" Sakura couldn't help but smile.

"Yeaah, well done Sakura," Kiba's arm snaked over her shoulder. "Fair dues, word travels fast in this place,"

Kiba was a legend of a clubber.

"Akamaru decided to stay in the room," Kiba had explained, since he seemed a lot less imposing when the giant dog wasn't panting at his shoulder. "Having kids has settled him,"

"Oh yeah!" Sakura exclaimed with glee when remembering the puppies. "How are they doing?"

"They're gonna be fucking enormous like their dad!" He laughed. "They're only a couple of months old and are already nearly as tall as my knees,"

"Ah!" Shikamaru, of whom had offered to procure the first round of drinks, was shuffling through the crowd, and had managed to spill half his pint down his shirt front and trousers as some other bloke stumbled into him. Annoyed and agitated, he moved towards the other two, who were both laughing and pointing at the spillage across his crotch.

"Ha-bloody-ha guys," He pouted and handed them the drinks. Shikamaru had a reputation for disliking clubs, and if one knew Shikamaru well enough, then they would not be so baffled.

The night had picked up from there, and Sakura had forgotten completely about Uchiha Itachi until he tumbled into conversation. All were pretty wasted by then.

"So Sakura, who's better looking?" Kiba had asked her, but at the time she had not been listening.

"Umm, who?"

"Sasuke or his brother?"

Sakura shrugged her shoulders.

"Wouldn't say no to either, is it?"

Sakura grinned and again, simply shrugged her shoulders. All fell about laughing as Kiba lead the conversation.

"To be honest, in my uncompromisingly heterosexual opinion, they are both very good-looking men,"

"Wouldn't say no to either as well is it Kiba?" Sakura laughed and Shikamaru shook his head.

"... I might have considered it once..." They all snorted with laughter. "Those were very confusing times,"

"Kiba you're a raging bisexual, we all know it," Shikamaru's eyebrows raised, taking his time to rip into his friend.

"Oh. Well _I _didn't. Some may hope I am, Shikamaru, and thank you, I am very flattered," Shikamaru rolled his eyes and shook his head, feeling the bite not worth the bait. "But I do like ladies a bit too much for any of that,"

Kiba turned to Sakura and flashed her a knowing wink.

"Flirtatious bastard," Sakura pouted and went back to sipping her drink. "Anyway, you were obviously going somewhere with the Uchiha brothers, so please, do carry on,"

"You're finding my research intriguing enough?"

"Try me,"

"Well, all right then," Kiba turned a little more to Sakura and let his face fall into a drunken-theory-haze. "Right, well, as a heterosexual man perfectly in tune to his sexuality, I would, if I were female, always choose Uchiha Sasuke,"

"Oh, go on," Upon the mentioning of the younger brother, Sakura's back straightened and her eyes flitted intently to Kiba's. "How have you, as a perfectly heterosexual man deduced that?"

"Well," Began Kiba, wagging a finger. "Firstly, he's as good looking as his older brother, secondly, he has a better record with women, and thirdly, despite all of Uchiha Itachi's airs and graces, Itachi's just not worth the hassle,"

Sakura's head cocked to the side. "That last bit, what do you mean? I get the other stuff, but I don't really understand that last bit you said,"

Kiba sipped his drink and swilled it around his tongue, rolling his eyes at the taste of the whisky and making Sakura laugh. "What I mean is... Well, just look at him! He's a fucking workaholic. He cares for nobody else but himself! How could any girl rant and rave about him when he's obviously asexual at heart? I don't understand. He's an empty shell,"

"I don't think he's an empty shell. Workaholic... Yeah, but he's not_ empty_," Sakura argued, but Kiba's raised eyebrows said it all.

"Seems like you have a pretty clear-cut view, you know him before?"

"No," Sakura shrugged. "I just speak to him a lot,"

"Oh,"

"Yeah, and I'll have you know, he's so much like Sasuke you wouldn't believe it,"

"Well, on most occasions I tend to see Sasuke much less sober than Itachi," Kiba said. "Be him drunk or not, he's still a little warmer,"

"Sasuke's not as warm as you'd think,"

"Yeah, and Hinata's not as shy as you think," Kiba smirked.

"Oh fuck off Kiba," Sakura narrowed her eyes in playfulness. "Don't be a wanker,"

"Moi? A wanker? Never!" Kiba grinned from ear to ear. "You blatantly fancy Sasuke's brother anyway,"

"I fucking do not," Sakura snapped, a little too quickly, and went red in the face. Thankfully Kiba could see nothing for the room was so dark.

"Oooh... is it now? Sakura, you have a fanny, therefore you want him. _Badly," _Kiba laughed as Sakura landed a playful tap on his arm and shook her head.

"Oh yes Kiba, because you're the world's greatest advocate of womankind,"

"Ooooooh!" Kiba held his palm against his cheek as if he'd been slapped. "You are such a bitch!"

"Bugger off,"

"Okay. I will do just that, I'm going to have a fag, see you in a bit,"

"Oh Kiba, don't you dare undo all my years of handiwork!"

"Puff, puff!" Kiba mocked sucking on a cigarette and let his eyes roll back. Sakura shooed him away. "See you later, babe,"

"'Babe'?" Sakura's head shook and gave him the finger as he stepped towards the doors round back to where the smoking area was located. It was here that she decided to disappear into the crowds of dancers, twisting her body to the beats as they tumbled from the booming speakers.

* * *

It was hours into the evening when Itachi finally arrived back at the base. He had sped around the surrounding area of the camp, attempting to make sense of what had occurred earlier in the day. He could not face going back, not for a fair few hours. His head was spinning, his mind ablaze with a nonsensical fusion of worry and rage. He felt like destroying something, like bashing it crumbling to the ground. Unfortunately, he could not find a decent outlet for his uncontrollable rage.

Although as he finally stepped back into the camp, he felt he needed some sort of distraction, someone who could allow him to forget all he was worth and all that was expected of him. He felt like breaking his boundaries, as if throwing all his glory and reputation into a flaming pit of hedonistic enjoyment.

Wandering over to the pub/canteen, Itachi leapt through the undergrowth and emerged at the back entrance. He jumped over the walls and stepped into the ground, eliciting shocked gazes from all those who congregated outside.

"Commander!!!" Some drunk sod waved at him like a buffoon. He recalled his name as Inuzuka Kiba, a boy in the same year as his brother. Next to him was Sarutobi Asuma, puffing away as usual. Deciding they were better than nothing, Itachi strolled towards them, the smoke from the cigarettes swirling all around him as he stepped through the smog.

"You _do _look identical to your brother," Kiba gazed at him in wonderment as Asuma waved the Commander away.

"He's had a tad," Asuma smiled, and offered his privileged pact of cigarettes to the Uchiha, who nodded in thanks. "I didn't forget you liked the odd one,"

Itachi chuckled slightly and allowed Asuma to light it for him. "Thank you. Have you been well?"

"As much as a smoker like me _can _be, thank you,"

Itachi smirked. He inhaled deeply and allowed the smoke to seep from his mouth so delicately it appeared as if he were not breathing. "And may you cheat death for many more years to come,"

"Aye, aye to that," Asuma smiled and raised his drink. "You want a pint? You look like you need one, if you don't mind me saying,"

Itachi brought the cigarette to his lips once again and smiled solemnly. "No, I best not for the moment. Thank you for offering,"

"Sakura is a liar. You _are nothing _like you brother..."Kiba whispered, as if still enjoying a running-commentary with himself.

"What?" Asuma piped up, watching the blinking Commander's face. "Half-pissed and hung over most of the time?"

Itachi chuckled and shook his head at the image.

"Still one hell of a shinobi mind," The older ninja added, and Itachi smiled.

"He's from interesting stock," _Interesting doesn't quite cut it. _Itachi smiled, although it was not heart-felt. Others did not need to know that though.

Through a wreath of smoke Itachi glanced up. In the haze and dim light he spotted Haruno Sakura staring at him through the glass of the window, drink in hand. She wore a short, strapless purple dress that hugged her figure in all the right ways. As he visually appraised her, a small smirk came to his lips. His little deal with her came flooding back, and as he watched her watching him through the smoke and the glass, he realised what he needed.

He had realised what he wanted. So full of adrenalin and worry and doubt and anger, he could not see past his own desires, could not take no for an answer.

Traipsing into the pub, cigarette still in hand, he walked in. All eyes followed him as if he were made of diamonds.

"Sakura-San," He said pointedly above the music. "I have an appointment,"

She smirked back and whipped her eyes to the clock on the wall. Stepping towards him, she came so close it was almost as if she were attempting to take a drag on his cigarette.

"It's gone twelve, sir," She stated so only he could hear through the blaring music. "I'm not sure you're serious enough,"

Itachi's eyebrows raised at her sceptical look.

"I'm a busy man, Sakura-San,"

"So? I am a busy woman too, sir!"

"What? Busy getting drunk," Itachi cocked an eyebrow and his mouth formed a perfect smirk.

"_Very _busy," Sakura nodded with a serious smile.

"Well you can get more drunk later. I'm ordering you to come with me," Itachi said sharply all of a sudden and Sakura found she could not say no. That was Itachi's observation, anyway, for he could not truly tell what a drunken Sakura was feeling for he had never seen one before.

After a while, she appeared to concede. "Okay. But you've got to make up for this later. I expect more drinks,"

Itachi smirked in took the cigarette in his mouth. The smoke burned alone his throat like a breath of fire. The nicotine had hit his system, and his body buzzed with feeling.

"Come with me," Itachi directed and Sakura followed. As drunk as she was, this didn't stop her from noticing Itachi's sly fingers locate a bottle of wine as they wandered out of the pub and into a drizzling, mizzling rain.

* * *

Oooh the plot thickens!

Thank you for reading! xxx


	6. Author's Note

I have restarted Chasing the Moon under the new name, Poison Prince on my new account, thevelvetbunny. Thank you all for being so ever supportive and I'm sorry I previously had no time with school and life and such. I hope you may enjoy it, in a slightly different story line. :) I will not be continuing with Abraxas, and I will leave the older version of CTM at this account, but otherwise I won't be returning here.

Thank you.


End file.
